What is ARFID?
ARFID is an eating disorder where a person struggles to eat enough food, enough different kinds of food, or both—but not because they want to lose weight or are trying to change the way their body looks. Instead, people with ARFID struggle to eat because of extreme sensory sensitivities, fear of a bad outcome from eating, or lack of interest in eating. Just like other eating disorders, ARFID can result in serious consequences for mental and physical health and can occur at any age, from young children to adults.
While ARFID is often misunderstood as “picky eating,” it’s a diagnosable eating disorder that can be incredibly disruptive to life and poses serious risks to a person’s mental and physical health. There’s no single cause of ARFID: it emerges out of a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
ARFID signs and symptoms
Physical symptoms of ARFID
- Noticeable weight loss
- Lack of weight gain or falling off the growth curve in growing kids
- Constipation, abdominal pain, and other gastrointestinal issues
- Impaired immune function
Behavioral symptoms of ARFID
- Sleep problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Lethargy
Food-related symptoms of ARFID
- Eating very small amounts of food
- Lack of expected weight gain or falling off the growth chart for growing kids and teens
- Food sensory sensitivity
- Inflexible eating habits, such as insisting on specific preparation of meals
- Fear of contamination, choking, or nausea from food
- Lack of appetite
- Little to no interest in food
- Difficulty trying new or unfamiliar foods
- Reliance on nutritional supplements
12 years old
The average age when ARFID starts is 12 years old and it can occur in children as young as 6.¹Downloadable guide
What is ARFID?
ARFID is a serious, yet lesser-known eating disorder. Use this guide to better understand ARFID, the different ways it can present, treatment options, and more
ARFID treatmentARFID is a bit different from other eating disorders, as the behaviors associated with it don’t usually stem from body image issues or a desire to lose weight. Because of this, treatment requires a somewhat different approach, but—just as with other diagnoses—the goal is still to work through the nutritional, behavioral, psychological, and physiological components of the eating disorder.
3.2%
of children may have ARFID²
0.5-5%
as much as 5% of adults may have ARFID³
Although concerns about weight don't play a role in ARFID behaviors, ARFID can cause notable weight loss, so weight restoration is often the first step. Regardless of whether or not weight gain is needed, patients will also work with their care team to address any nutritional deficiencies. It’s important to tackle these elements first, because when a person’s brain is malnourished, it’s nearly impossible for them to make progress in other areas of treatment.
The next and biggest step in ARFID treatment is to normalize eating habits and expand the amount and variety of food a person will eat. This can be done in a variety of different ways, but often involves a therapist, dietitian, or both, who can help patients incorporate new foods in a safe environment. Patients also work with their providers to address the factors that are contributing to their limited intake, learning strategies and skills to handle tough emotions that arise around food.
ARFID treatment should also take into account gastrointestinal disorders, food sensitivities and allergies, or sensory processing disorders, all of which could contribute to ARFID symptoms. Because ARFID often co-occurs with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism, treatment should also be adjusted to accommodate each patient’s unique needs and abilities.
ARFID treatment at Equip
Eating disorders show up in different ways from person to person, so treatment can’t be one-size-fits-all. At Equip, we individualize our approach to ARFID treatment based on a patient’s unique needs, challenges, and life circumstances. But no matter the specifics of treatment, all patients are matched with a dedicated multidisciplinary care team.
Our care teams supports patients with the following services throughout the recovery process.
ARFID behaviors, such as avoidance and fear of food, can stem from psychological and emotional concerns. Past food-related trauma can also play a role in the symptoms.
Patients will work with their Equip therapist to get to the root cause of ARFID behaviors and learn to adjust thought patterns when faced with unfamiliar or anxiety-producing foods.
Common questions about ARFID
Please configure the Sanity provider with a valid projectId, dataset, and token (if necessary). Don't forget to add 'https://host.plasmicdev.com' as an authorized host on the CORS origins section of your project.
Proven results for
eating disorder patients
After completing treatment
improve to subclinical levels of eating disorder symptoms
improve to subclinical levels of anxiety
Our patients are getting better
After the first 8 weeks of treatment, Equip patients are well on their way to recovery
1lb
Average weekly weight gain for those who need it
8 in 10
Patients report a decrease in eating disorder behaviors
74%
Of patients report improvements with depression or anxiety
Dive DeeperLearn about the nuances of eating disorders, treatment, life in recovery, and more on our blog.
Please configure the Sanity provider with a valid projectId, dataset, and token (if necessary). Don't forget to add 'https://host.plasmicdev.com' as an authorized host on the CORS origins section of your project.
References
- Duncombe Lowe, Kristina et al. “Youth with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Examining Differences by Age, Weight Status, and Symptom Duration.” Nutrients vol. 11,8 1955. 20 Aug. 2019, doi:10.3390/nu11081955
- Norris, Mark L et al. “Update on eating disorders: current perspectives on avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder in children and youth.” Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment vol. 12 213-8. 19 Jan. 2016, doi:10.2147/NDT.S82538
- Norris, Mark L., Spettigue, Wendy, Hammond, Nadia G., et al. “What Can We Learn from a Decade of Pediatric ARFID Research? Findings from a Scoping Review.” Journal of Eating Disorders, vol. 11, no. 35, 2023, doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00723-7.
Privacy PolicyNotice of Privacy PracticesSecurity PolicyTerms & ConditionsGood Faith EstimateYour Privacy Choices
All names, likenesses, and identifying information have been changed in accordance with privacy laws. Images are of models, not actual patients.
Your privacy is Equip's priority, we safeguard your health information with end-to-end data encryption and industry-leading secure cloud practices. Our platform is HIPAA-compliant and SOC2 certified, ensuring your data is always protected.
