In the eating disorder field there is one particular disorder which is often overlooked: Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
What is ARFID?
ARFID is a complex eating disorder which can affect people of all ages. It’s characterised by restriction, avoidance, or extreme aversion to certain foods and/or food textures. It’s important to understand that ARFID is not just ‘picky eating’, and it is not simply a dietary choice, but instead is a condition which can significantly impact a persons nutritional adequacy.
Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID does not commonly arise from body image issues, but is instead based in anxiety and/or sensory processing issues. This is not to say that those experiencing ARFID won’t experience body image concerns or other eating disorders – but rather that body image concerns are not the primary driver of ARFID-based food avoidance/restriction.
Understanding the Impact of ARFID
ARFID can significantly impact a persons daily life, limiting their social interactions and causing emotional distress. Given so many of our interactions with friends, family members, and in the workplace centre around food, it’s easy to understand why food based anxiety can cause distress for people with ARFID, and may cause people to avoid or withdraw from social experiences, contributing to significant social isolation.
People with ARFID may also have difficulty consuming an adequate variety or quantity of food, potentially causing nutritional deficiencies and impaired physical and mental health.
It is essential to recognise that ARFID is not a choice but is a genuine health condition which requires empathy, understanding, and support toward change.
Support and Awareness for ARFID
Raising awareness about ARFID is crucial to foster understanding and support for those affected. Education is the first step in reducing the stigma and misconceptions surrounding this disorder. By promoting compassionate dialogue, we can create a safe environment where people with ARFID feel empowered to seek help and receive the support they need.
Support at Mind Body Well for someone experiencing ARFID can take many forms, including:
Validating lived experience: Listening to and acknowledging the challenges faced by people with ARFID
Nutritional exploration: Identifying barriers to meeting nutritional needs with accepted foods and considering supplements to bridge nutritional gaps
Sensory understanding: Learning about the influence of sensory profiles on eating behaviours
Strategies for behaviour change: Exploring strategies to support eating, such as sensory support during meals or when grocery shopping, and gradually introducing novel foods
Client-centered exposure: Guiding people through exposure to unfamiliar foods in a supportive environment
Navigating social situations: Providing strategies for managing social eating scenarios
Harm reduction: Offering strategies to reduce harm while working towards expanding nutritional adequacy and variety
ARFID is an important health issue which requires attention and understanding. By increasing awareness about this lesser-known eating disorder, we can provide a supportive network for people affected by ARFID.