AN explosion in fad diets advocating the banning of whole food groups is leading thousands of Australians down a dangerous path towards an eating disorder, experts say.

Those following paleo, the I-quit-sugar diet and dairy-free, wheat-free meal plans are actually doing untold harm to themselves by adhering to the unfounded claims of self-styled gurus, dietitians have told The Courier-Mail.

The consequences of banning carbohydrates, sugar, fruit, dairy and other necessary foods has caused people to develop osteoporosis in their 20s, ­develop severe stomach issues and even causing their hair and teeth to fall out.

ANOREXIA: Sad illness eating at our youth

But it’s also tempting people with a predisposition to an eating disorder to fall into patterns that can prove deadly.

Butterfly Foundation chief executive Christine Morgan said the banning of food groups was actually a warning sign of an eating disorder and encouraged unhealthy behaviours.

“You don’t know if you’ve got the genetic vulnerability or not and if you engage in these things you suddenly find yourself caught in a vortex and once it’s been triggered, it’s not a simple step of being able to say I’m just going to go back … and then it’s just a nightmare,” she said.

The term “orthorexic’’ has been coined to describe very strict eating based on misguided beliefs about health that involves massive guilt and anxiety about food choices.

Dietitians Association of Australia spokeswoman Tania Ferraretto said some of her ­clients were diagnosed with eating disorders while others had huge amounts of anxiety and fear about bread, dairy, white grain, or anything with sugar in it, including fruit.

Centre for Integrative Health director Dr Kiera ­Buchanan said orthorexic stemmed from a cultural “hysteria” around good food and an abundance of conflicting messages making almost any food sound harmful.

For support contact the ­Butterfly National Eating ­Disorders Supportline on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE).

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