Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

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Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
Specialty Psychiatry, clinical psychology

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a feeding or eating disorder in which people avoid eating certain foods, or restrict their diets to the point it ultimately results in nutritional deficiencies. This can be due to the sensory characteristics of food, such as its appearance, smell, texture, or taste; due to fear of negative consequences such as choking or vomiting; having little interest in eating or food, or a combination of these factors. [1] People with ARFID may also be afraid of trying new foods, a fear known as food neophobia. [2]

Contents

This avoidance or restriction of food can lead to significant weight loss (or lack of appropriate growth or weight gain in children), nutritional deficiency, dependence on a feeding tube or supplements to meet nutritional needs, and negative effects on psychosocial functioning. [1]

In contrast to anorexia and bulimia, the eating behavior in ARFID is not motivated by concerns about body weight or shape. [1]

ARFID was first included as a diagnosis in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published in 2013, extending and replacing the diagnosis of feeding disorder of infancy or early childhood included in prior editions. [1] [3] It was subsequently also included in the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) that came into effect in 2022. [4]

Signs and symptoms

ARFID comprises a range of selective and restrictive eating behaviors. People with ARFID either avoid certain kinds of foods, restrict the amount of food they eat, or both. They might do so due to sensory sensitivities, a fear of aversive consequences, or a lack of interest in eating. For some people with ARFID, multiple or all reasons apply. [1] [5]

Sensory issues with food are among the most common reasons. For example, people who experience the taste of fruits or vegetables as intensely bitter might avoid eating them. For others, the smell, texture, appearance, color, or temperature of certain foods is unbearable. Some might find it impossible to tolerate the smell of food eaten by others. Sensory sensitivities can also lead people to refuse eating foods of specific brands. A diet limited to certain foods can lead to nutritional deficiencies, such as a lack of vitamins and minerals if only highly processed foods are consumed. Food avoidance due to sensory issues often develops in early childhood and is long-lasting. [1] [5]

People might also avoid certain foods or restrict the amount of food they eat out of fear of negative consequences such as choking, vomiting, or stomach aches. In many cases, this behavior is motivated by a traumatic experience related to food that people wish to prevent from re-occurring. While avoiding the associated foods can provide relief in the short term, over time it can lead to growing anxiety as there is no opportunity to make corrective, positive experiences. Further, the range of avoided foods can grow over time, up to encompassing all solid foods in extreme cases. Food avoidance due to fear of aversive consequences often develops acutely. [1] [5]

A general lack of interest in food or eating is a third common reason to avoid or restrict food intake. Often, these people perceive eating as a chore. Within this group, a low body weight or failure to thrive are common and the experienced lack of interest is long-lasting. [1] [5]

Restriction of food intake due to unavailability, such as in situations of food insecurity, or dietary restrictions due to cultural practices such as religious fasting or dieting are not included in ARFID. Likewise, restricted eating and avoiding food out of concern for body weight or shape, as is typical for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, do not fall under ARFID. [1]

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is often based on a diagnostic checklist to test whether an individual is exhibiting certain behaviors and characteristics. Clinicians will look at the variety of foods an individual consumes, as well as the portion size of accepted foods. They will also question how long the avoidance or refusal of particular foods has lasted, and if there are any associated medical concerns, such as malnutrition. [6]

Criteria

The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) published in 2013 was the first to include ARFID as a diagnosis. [3]

The criteria were changed in the text revision published in 2022 (DSM-5-TR). The change eliminated an inconsistency in the phrasing of criterion A, clarifying that a failure to meet nutritional requirements is not required to meet the diagnostic criteria for ARFID. [7]

A diagnosis of ARFID can also be given if the full criteria are no longer met for a sustained period of time. In this case, it is specified that the person is in remission.

Assessment

The Nine Item Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Screen (NIAS) has been developed to assess the presence of ARFID. Across nine items that are scored on a 6-point Likert scale, the NIAS assesses picky eating, appetite, and fear scale. [8] [9]

Associated conditions

Autism

Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, have been shown to have a significant impact on dietary variety. [10] One study showed 70.4% of subjects with autism exhibited atypical eating behaviors. [11] Strict behavior patterns and difficulty adjusting to new things are common symptoms in patients that are autistic. [12] Autistic children are less likely to outgrow selective eating behaviors. [13] [14] Autistic children are more likely than other children to have atypical eating behaviors. [11] Although this is a common symptom of autism and in some cases certain eating behaviors are attributes to autism, autism spectrum disorder and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder are not mutually exclusive. The most common symptom seen in patients with both autism and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder is sensory-based avoidance, however fear-based restriction and lack of interest in food are prevalent in this population as well. [15] If eating behaviors are clinically significant and severely impacting consumption, a person will be diagnosed with avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder in addition to autism spectrum disorder. [15]

Anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorders are the most common comorbidity with ARFID. 36-72% of people struggling with ARFID also have a diagnosed anxiety disorder. [16] Specific food avoidances could be caused by food phobias that cause great anxiety when a person is presented with new or feared foods. Most eating disorders are related to a fear of gaining weight. Those who have ARFID do not have this fear, but the psychological symptoms and anxiety created are similar. [12] Some people with ARFID have fears such as emetophobia (fear of vomiting) or a fear of choking.

Anorexia nervosa

Though the physical symptoms may be similar, anorexia nervosa differs from ARFID because in ARFID the lack of food intake is not related to body image or weight concerns. [1] [17]

Additionally, in a study analyzing the similarities between patients with AN and patients with ARFID, those with ARFID were significantly younger (10.8 vs 14.1 yrs old) with an earlier onset of illness (6.2 vs 13.7 yrs old) and a longer evolution time (61.2 vs 8.4 months). Also, a greater proportion of the ARFID patients were male rather than female (60.6% vs 6.1%). [18] Additionally, when compared to patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, patients with ARFID are more likely to be diagnosed with a co-occurring medical condition. [5] Lastly, ARFID patients are more likely to have an anxiety disorder, but less likely to present with a mood disorder (e.g., bipolar, depression). [3]

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Those with ADHD often struggle with inattentiveness or distraction, which may lead to missing meals or forgetting to eat for long periods of time. [19] Additionally, people with ADHD are more likely than the general population to struggle with mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, which have a strong link with ARFID. [19] Medication used to treat ADHD, such as stimulants, often suppress appetite, which can make eating disorder treatment more difficult. [19]

Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome

An assessment of symptoms and onset of these symptoms must be completed in order to determine if someone has obsessive-compulsive and related disorder. This can be caused by pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) that is characterized by a sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms or severely restricted food intake. These conditions together can lead to additional neuropsychiatric symptoms. [1]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Those with obsessive-compulsive disorder may exhibit symptoms of avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder, however these behaviors may or not be clinically significant and require an ARFID diagnosis along with a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder. [1] Common overlap in symptoms include obsessions related to food and food intake or rituals related to eating. [1]

Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder often makes it difficult for patients to be interested in food, which is a common sign of avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder. Often, food intake is resolved with improvement of mood problems. A diagnosis of avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder should be given in addition to major depressive disorder if full criteria for both diagnoses are met and specifically if food interest or intake does not improve with improvements in mood. Also, if it seems as though the lack of interest in food needs to be specifically focused on in treatment, the ARFID diagnosis should be given. [1]

Developmentally Normal Behavior

Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder may look similar to "picky eating" that is commonly seen in toddlers and young children, however the key difference between a normal narrow range of acceptable foods versus ARFID is that "picky eating" tends to resolve on its own without intervention whereas ARFID will not resolve unless the person struggling has access to support and treatment. [1] Typically with ARFID, the behaviors are so severe that they lead to nutritional deficiencies.

Treatment

Types of ARFID patients

There are two types of ARFID patients identified: [20] short-term and long-term patients. These are based on the amount of time an individual has had ARFID symptoms. Short-term patients have been recently diagnosed with ARFID. More recent onset can be associated with fear of choking or vomiting after experiencing or witnessing an event, fear of gastrointestinal problems, or both. Long-term patients are those who report with a long history of ARFID symptoms. Long-term ARFID patients include a history of selective or poor eating habits, a history of gastrointestinal problems, or generalized anxiety that affected eating behaviors throughout childhood or for the past number of years.

For adults

With time the symptoms of ARFID can lessen and can eventually disappear without treatment. However, in some cases treatment will be needed as the symptoms persist into adulthood. The most common type of treatment for ARFID is some form of cognitive-behavioral therapy. [12] Another common treatment is responsive feeding treatment (RFT) that is often used in children, however the same principles can be applied to treatment for adolescents and adults. [21] Responsive feeding treatment often involves a support person establishing mealtime routines with pleasant interactions and few interactions and modeling to encourage the person struggling with ARFID to respond to hunger cues. [21]

There are support groups for adults with ARFID. [22]

For children

Children can benefit from a four stage in-home treatment program based on the principles of systematic desensitization. The four stages of the treatment are record, reward, relax and review. [12]

  1. In the 'record stage', children are encouraged to keep a log of their typical eating behaviors without attempting to change their habits as well as their cognitive feelings.
  2. The 'reward stage' involves systematic desensitization. Children create a list of foods that they might like to try eating some day. These foods may not be drastically different from their normal diet, but perhaps a familiar food prepared in a different way. Because the goal is for the children to try new foods, children are rewarded when they sample new foods.
  3. The 'relaxation stage' is most important for those children with severe anxiety when presented with unfavorable foods. Children learn to relax to reduce the anxiety that they feel. Children work through a list of anxiety-producing stimuli and can create a story line with relaxing imagery and scenarios. Often these stories can also include the introduction of new foods with the help of a real person or fantasy person. Children then listen to this story before eating new foods as a way to imagine themselves participating in an expanded variety of foods while relaxed. [12]
  4. The final stage, 'review', is important to keep track of the child's progress, both in one-on-one sessions with the child, as well as with the parent in order to get a clear picture of how the child is progressing and if the relaxation techniques are working.

For both adults and children

A suitable treatment for older children and adults alike is CBT-AR (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), in which around 90% of participants have found high levels of satisfaction with the programme. [23] While the rate of remission to this type of programme is said to be around 40%, [23] it has seen higher efficacy among children and young adults compared to adults, and greater family involvement has also been seen to help. [23] The main goals of treatment for CBT-AR are to achieve or to maintain a health weight, treat nutritional deficits, consume items from all five of the basic dietary groups, and to be more comfortable in social settings and circumstances. CBT-AR workbook can be used as a resource for professionals. [24] This workbooks includes psychoeducation about ARFID, self-monitoring records for food logs, and the different stages in treatment.

The treatment is broken up into four stages and aimed to help "reduce nutritional compromise and increase opportunities for exposure to novel foods to reduce negative feelings and predictions about eating". [25] In a simplified format, the stages of this treatment are: [25]

  1. Psychoeducation regarding ARFID and CBT-AR, setting up a regular pattern of eating and self-monitoring.
  2. Psychoeducation about nutrition deficiencies, selecting new foods to help aid the loss of those deficiencies.
  3. Figuring out the root cause(s) of the patient's ARFID (mentioned above in the Speculative causes section), bringing in 5 new foods to examine, describe their features and try tasting them throughout the week, lastly exposure to the foods in the sessions.
  4. Evaluating progress and compiling a relapse prevention plan.

This is set to take place over 20–30 sessions ranging from six months to a year.

Medical treatment

Individuals with ARFID might need additional help outside of psychotherapy to increase their caloric intake and get to receive nutritional needs. [8] Individuals with ARFID might take nutritional supplements. Patients may require nasogastric or gastrostomy tube feeding. [26] Patients with ARFID are more likely than those diagnosed with another eating disorder to be initially evaluated in an outpatient setting while relying on long-term nasogastric or gastrostomy feedings. [5]

Prevention

While there is no way to predict who will develop ARFID, there might be ways to help diminish the probability of developing the disorder. Pediatricians should take special care in recognizing a child's eating patterns and intake, [20] specifically parental concerns. Particularly, many parents worry that their child is not consuming enough food daily. As a result, they frequently coerce or bribe the child into eating even though the child is of normal development. This could negatively impact the child's view on different foods and create backlash from the child to the parent. Also, it is important for the parent and child to establish appropriate feeding practices. [20] The child's doctor can assist to establish the proper feeding tool to allow the child to develop normally and create a positive relationship towards food and eating. The parent is responsible for when, where, and what the food is, and the child is responsible for how much they eat.

Epidemiology

Unlike most eating disorders, there may be a higher rate of ARFID in young boys than there is in young girls. [27] Presentations are often heterogenous. [5] Additionally, literature suggests that parental pressure for a child to eat could potentially have a negative impact on the child's food intake. This is associated with picky eating and a decrease in weight during childhood. [28] [29] This can be contributing to the child's hunger cues, as well as, the child eating for reasons other than their hunger (e.g., emotions). [30] [31]

In a study conducted between 2008 and 2012, 22.5% of children aged 7–17 in day programs for eating disorder treatment were diagnosed with ARFID. [27] In a 2021 study ARFID also has a high comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with up to 17% of adults with ASD at risk of developing disordered eating, with modest evidence for heritability. Among children, one study revealed a 12.5% prevalence of ASD among those diagnosed with ARFID. [32] Other risk factors include sensory processing sensitivity, gastrointestinal disease and anxiety associated with eating. [33] Prevalence among children aged 4–7 is estimated to be 1.3%, [34] and 3.7% in females aged 8–18. [34] The female cohort study also had a BMI of 7 points lower than the non-ARFID population. [35]

Prevalence of ARFID compared to picky eating

Children are often picky eaters, but this does not necessarily mean they meet the criteria for an ARFID diagnosis. ARFID is a rare condition, and though it shares many symptoms with regular picky eating, it is not diagnosed nearly as much. Picky eating, which can exhibit symptoms similar to those of ARFID, can be observed in 13–22% of children from ages 3–11, [36] whereas the prevalence of ARFID has "ranged from 5% to 14% among pediatric inpatient ED [ eating disorder] programs and as high as 22.5% in a pediatric ED day treatment program". [37]

History

Prior to the DSM-5, the DSM was not inclusive in recognizing all of the challenges associated with feeding and eating disorders in 3 main domains: [6]

The definition introduced in the DSM-5 is broad, which can be both a detriment and an advantage: Stephanie G. Harshman of the neuroendocrine unit at Massachusetts General Hospital has been quoted saying: "The broad definitions used among DSM-5 criteria for [ARFID] provide substantial flexibility in a clinical setting". [38] [39] It can be detrimental, as a broad scope can lead to false positive diagnoses of ARFID, though as an advantage it is better than the DSM-IV description which landed people with ARFID in the "EDNOS" (eating disorder not otherwise specified) category and made it more difficult for people with the condition to reach potential treatment. [3]

Related Research Articles

An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that adversely affect a person's physical or mental health. Types of eating disorders include binge eating disorder, where the patient eats a large amount in a short period of time; anorexia nervosa, where the person has an intense fear of gaining weight and restricts food or overexercises to manage this fear; bulimia nervosa, where individuals eat a large quantity (binging) then try to rid themselves of the food (purging); pica, where the patient eats non-food items; rumination syndrome, where the patient regurgitates undigested or minimally digested food; avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), where people have a reduced or selective food intake due to some psychological reasons; and a group of other specified feeding or eating disorders. Anxiety disorders, depression and substance abuse are common among people with eating disorders. These disorders do not include obesity. People often experience comorbidity between an eating disorder and OCD. It is estimated 20–60% of patients with an ED have a history of OCD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anxiety disorder</span> Cognitive disorder with an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations

Anxiety disorders are a cluster of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal functions are significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause physical and cognitive symptoms, such as restlessness, irritability, easy fatigue, difficulty concentrating, increased heart rate, chest pain, abdominal pain, and a variety of other symptoms that may vary based on the individual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulimia nervosa</span> Type of eating disorder

Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. This activity aims to expel the body of calories eaten from the binging phase of the process. Binge eating refers to eating a large amount of food in a short amount of time. Purging refers to the attempts to get rid of the food consumed. This may be done by vomiting or taking laxatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pica (disorder)</span> Compulsive eating of non-food items

Pica is the eating or craving of things that are not food. It is classified as an eating disorder but can also be the result of an existing mental disorder. The ingested or craved substance may be biological, natural or manmade. The term was drawn directly from the medieval Latin word for magpie, a bird subject to much folklore regarding its opportunistic feeding behaviors.

Orthorexia nervosa is a proposed eating disorder characterized by an excessive preoccupation with eating healthy food. The term was introduced in 1997 by American physician Steven Bratman, M.D. He suggested that some people's dietary restrictions intended to promote health may paradoxically lead to unhealthy consequences, such as social isolation; anxiety; loss of ability to eat in a natural, intuitive manner; reduced interest in the full range of other healthy human activities; and, in rare cases, severe malnutrition or even death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder</span> Personality disorder involving orderliness

Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a cluster C personality disorder marked by a spectrum of obsessions with rules, lists, schedules, and order, among other things. Symptoms are usually present by the time a person reaches adulthood, and are visible in a variety of situations. The cause of OCPD is thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors, namely problems with attachment.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by frequent and recurrent binge eating episodes with associated negative psychological and social problems, but without the compensatory behaviors common to bulimia nervosa, OSFED, or the binge-purge subtype of anorexia nervosa.

Neophobia is the fear of anything new, but is directly correlated with conditions such as OCD or autism spectrum disorder. In its milder form, it can manifest as the unwillingness to try new things or break from routine. In the context of children, the term is generally used to indicate a tendency to reject unknown or novel foods. Food neophobia, as it may be referred to, is an important concern in pediatric psychology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underweight</span> Below a weight considered healthy

An underweight person is a person whose body weight is considered too low to be healthy. A person who is underweight is malnourished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rumination syndrome</span> Medical condition

Rumination syndrome, or merycism, is a chronic motility disorder characterized by effortless regurgitation of most meals following consumption, due to the involuntary contraction of the muscles around the abdomen. There is no retching, nausea, heartburn, odour, or abdominal pain associated with the regurgitation as there is with typical vomiting, and the regurgitated food is undigested. The disorder has been historically documented as affecting only infants, young children, and people with cognitive disabilities . It is increasingly being diagnosed in a greater number of otherwise healthy adolescents and adults, though there is a lack of awareness of the condition by doctors, patients, and the general public.

Child and adolescent psychiatry is a branch of psychiatry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders in children, adolescents, and their families. It investigates the biopsychosocial factors that influence the development and course of psychiatric disorders and treatment responses to various interventions. Child and adolescent psychiatrists primarily use psychotherapy and/or medication to treat mental disorders in the pediatric population.

Purging disorder is an eating disorder characterized by the DSM-5 as self-induced vomiting, or misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or enemas to forcefully evacuate matter from the body. Purging disorder differs from bulimia nervosa (BN) because individuals do not consume a large amount of food before they purge. In current diagnostic systems, purging disorder is a form of other specified feeding or eating disorder. Research indicates that purging disorder, while not rare, is not as commonly found as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. This syndrome is associated with clinically significant levels of distress, and that it appears to be distinct from bulimia nervosa on measures of hunger and ability to control food intake. Some of the signs of purging disorder are frequent trips to the bathroom directly after a meal, frequent use of laxatives, and obsession over one's appearance and weight. Other signs include swollen cheeks, popped blood vessels in the eyes, and clear teeth which are all signs of excessive vomiting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social anxiety disorder</span> Anxiety disorder associated with social situations

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by sentiments of fear and anxiety in social situations, causing considerable distress and impairing ability to function in at least some aspects of daily life. These fears can be triggered by perceived or actual scrutiny from others. Individuals with social anxiety disorder fear negative evaluations from other people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anorexia nervosa</span> Type of eating disorder

Anorexia nervosa (AN), often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin.

The differential diagnoses of anorexia nervosa (AN) includes various types of medical and psychological conditions, which may be misdiagnosed as AN. In some cases, these conditions may be comorbid with AN because the misdiagnosis of AN is not uncommon. For example, a case of achalasia was misdiagnosed as AN and the patient spent two months confined to a psychiatric hospital. A reason for the differential diagnoses that surround AN arise mainly because, like other disorders, it is primarily, albeit defensively and adaptive for, the individual concerned. Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological disorder characterized by extremely reduced intake of food. People with anorexia nervosa tend to have a low self-image and an inaccurate perception of their body.

A feeding disorder, in infancy or early childhood, is a child's refusal to eat certain food groups, textures, solids or liquids for a period of at least one month, which causes the child to not gain enough weight, grow naturally or cause any developmental delays. Feeding disorders resemble failure to thrive, except that at times in feeding disorder there is no medical or physiological condition that can explain the very small amount of food the children consume or their lack of growth. Some of the times, a previous medical condition that has been resolved is causing the issue.

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) is a subclinical DSM-5 category that, along with unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED), replaces the category formerly called eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) in the DSM-IV-TR. It captures feeding disorders and eating disorders of clinical severity that do not meet diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), pica, or rumination disorder. OSFED includes five examples:

The Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory (CASI) is a behavioral rating checklist created by Kenneth Gadow and Joyce Sprafkin that evaluates a range of behaviors related to common emotional and behavioral disorders identified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, separation anxiety disorder, major depressive episode, mania, dysthymic disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum, Asperger syndrome, anorexia, and bulimia. In addition, one or two key symptoms from each of the following disorders are also included: obsessive-compulsive disorder, specific phobia, panic attack, motor/vocal tics, and substance use. CASI combines the Child Symptom Inventory (CSI) and the Adolescent Symptom Inventory (ASI), letting it apply to both children and adolescents, aged from 5 to 18. The CASI is a self-report questionnaire completed by the child's caretaker or teacher to detect signs of psychiatric disorders in multiple settings. Compared to other widely used checklists for youths, the CASI maps more closely to DSM diagnoses, with scoring systems that map to the diagnostic criteria as well as providing a severity score. Other measures are more likely to have used statistical methods, such as factor analysis, to group symptoms that often occur together; if they have DSM-oriented scales, they are often later additions that only include some of the diagnostic criteria.

Atypical anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which individuals meet all the qualifications for anorexia nervosa, including a body image disturbance and a history of restrictive eating and weight loss, except that they are not currently underweight. Atypical anorexia qualifies as a mental health disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), under the category Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED). The characteristics of people with atypical anorexia generally do not differ significantly from anorexia nervosa patients except for their current weight.

A variety of behaviours whereby people are highly selective in what they eat and do not eat are known as picky eating or selective eating. Picky eating is common in younger children and can be a cause of concern for parents. It is also seen in many adults. There is no generally accepted definition of picky eating. It is generally associated with increased food neophobia. It can be associated with rejecting mixed or lumpy foods. It can also be associated with sensory sensitivity.

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Further reading