3 Ways Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is Different from Picky Eating

People who experience Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) are often labeled as picky eaters. This line of thinking can be harmful and frustrating for people with ARFID because it can be condescending and dismissive of their experience.

Whether you have ARFID, know someone with ARFID, are a picky eater, or are just eager to learn more about how ARFID differs from picky eating, this blog is for you.

As an eating disorder therapist, I’m going to share my expertise on three ways Avoidant Retractive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is different from picky eating.

What is ARFID?

ARFID is Avoidant Retractive Food Intake Disorder.

I like this straightforward definition from NEDA, “Individuals with ARFID limit the volume and/or variety of foods they consume, but unlike the other eating disorders, food avoidance or restriction is not related to fears of fatness or distress about body shape, size or weight. Instead, in ARFID, selective eating is motivated by a lack of interest in eating or food, sensory sensitivity…and/or a fear of aversive consequences.”

In other words, people with ARFID may limit their food because of things like texture, taste or because they have a fear of choking or vomiting.

What are three ways that ARFID is different than picky eating?

#1: People with ARFID typically are not getting the nutrition they need.

One major concern is that people with ARFID are not typically getting the nutrition they need. This is a less common concern around picky eaters.

People with ARFID may have aversions to so many foods, or to eating, that they are lacking the daily nutrition intake that they need. This can cause more health problems for people with ARFID and can have long-term effects on their bodies.

#2: People with ARFID often experience extreme anxiety when presented with foods they perceive as unsafe.

I don’t want to undermine the stress that someone who is a picky eater may feel when faced with a food they don’t like, but it differs from the extreme anxiety that someone with ARFID may have when faced with a food they perceive as unsafe.

Many people with ARFID will avoid social gathering altogether, or even eating in public, if there’s a risk of facing one of their unsafe foods, or if there may be a food-related situation. This can be a very isolating experience for someone with ARFID. This type of avoidant behavior highlights the importance of working with an ARFID therapist to develop tools to navigate these types of situations.

#3: People with ARFID typically are not concerned about weight loss.

While not all picky eaters choose their foods with weight loss in mind, it can be a contributing factor for some individuals.

In ARFID, weight loss is often not a factor, but an unintended consequence of the disorder's underlying mechanisms, highlighting a difference of ARFID compared to typical picky eating patterns.

When should someone with ARFID seek help?

Whether you know you have ARFID, or you want to learn more about if you may have ARFID, I can help.

As an ARFID counselor, I’m here to help you navigate ARFID with a focus on your whole person. I center my treatment around your individual values. Want to learn more? Contact me today for a FREE consultation.