What is Avoidant\/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder \u2013 ARFID? Before I try to answer that, I\u2019m not a healthcare professional. The opinions in this post are my own and come from my own experiences. I\u2019m in my forties and I\u2019m thrilled to have finally found a name for my fussy, picky, weird, finicky eating \u2013 ARFID. Do I have an official diagnosis, no. Am I confident that my eating habits, especially as a child, fall under the new term, ARFID, yes.<\/p>\n Yes, fussy, picky, weird, finicky eater are all terms that others have used to describe my eating habits, especially when I was child. Luckily, I have always had a very supportive Mom. However, I had a lot of VERY unsupportive family members. Sadly, they didn\u2019t realise the damage their words and actions caused. Now a Mom, I am passionate about improving the experience of children with ARFID\/ suspected ARFID. I want to help you help them; whether you\u2019re a family member, friend or professional.<\/p>\n I\u2019m in the process of writing a short book about my experiences and thought I\u2019d bring you along for the journey with me. I\u2019ll be releasing a series of blog posts covering aspects of my experience of Avoidant\/ Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, what I\u2019ve discovered about the condition through my research and strategies to help live with ARFID and support loved ones.<\/p>\n As I\u2019ve already said, I am not a medical professional and my thoughts come from my own experiences and opinions. I hope that the book (when it\u2019s finished) and the series of blog posts will shed light on this little known disorder and give hope to those affected (both individuals and their families).<\/p>\n These are still subject to change, but I hope to cover each of these in my book about experience with ARFID. Which of these chapters are you most interested to read? Let me know in the comments or drop me an email at lisa@busybusylearning.com. Here\u2019s my plan for chapters.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to sign up to my newsletter to find out when a new ARFID post releases and top tips I\u2019ve found, you can do that below.<\/p>\n Avoidant\/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterised by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and\/or energy needs. Unlike other eating disorders, ARFID is not driven by concerns about body image or weight. Instead, it involves a range of food-related issues that lead to restrictive eating patterns.<\/p>\n Avoidant\/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) was added to the ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases), which was released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018. The ICD-11 officially came into effect on January 1, 2022.<\/p>\n ARFID was introduced to provide a more accurate classification for individuals with significant eating restrictions not associated with the body image concerns typically seen in disorders like anorexia nervosa and others. <\/p>\n This inclusion reflects a growing recognition of ARFID as a distinct eating disorder requiring specific diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches. However, access to diagnostic and treatment approaches is not yet available to all.<\/p>\n If you feel you have ARFID or suspect a family member to have ARFID it\u2019s important that you speak to a health professional. However, as ARFID is a very new term I would advise going into any appointment as informed as you can be as you may well find yourself needing to educate the professional. This is a situation I have found myself in several times.<\/p>\n Depending upon the individual these key features can be minor to having significant impact on ones life. The quote below is one that very much stands out to me:<\/p>\n \u201cThe difference between a \u2018picky eater\u2019 and a child with ARFID, is that a picky eater won\u2019t starve themselves to death. A child with ARFID will.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u2014 Dr. Gillian Harris, Clinical Psychologist. from ARFID Awareness UK website.<\/p>\n ARFID isn\u2019t just about being a little particular and having preferences on food. It\u2019s about a total inability to be able to eat and drink certain foods and beverages no matter what the consequences are.<\/p>\n Sometimes there can be more than one reason for an individual.<\/p>\n ARFID is diagnosed based on key features and the exclusion of other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. It requires a comprehensive assessment by healthcare professionals. We\u2019ll cover more on diagnosis in a later post.<\/p>\n Awareness days are an ideal time to gain more information. I\u2019ll add important dates below:<\/p>\n Do drop a comment if you know of others to make people aware of.<\/p>\n If you have any concerns around your eating habits, or of someone close to you, do seek professional medical advice. <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/busybusylearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/2-1024x579.png\")
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<\/figure>\nARFID Book Chapters<\/h2>\n
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What is ARFID?<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\nKey Features of ARFID:<\/h3>\n
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Common Reasons for Food Avoidance<\/h3>\n
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ARFID Diagnosis<\/h3>\n
Save the Date: Awareness Days<\/h2>\n
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ARFID Support<\/h2>\n
Further Reading<\/h2>\n
<\/figure>\nReferences<\/h2>\n
Like this:<\/h3>\n