The eating disorders:

THE EATING DISORDERS:

ARFID
(AVOIDANT RESTRICTIVE FOOD
INTAKE DISEASE)
 AVOIDANT RESTRICTIVE FOOD
INTAKE DISEASE
ARFID is an eating disorder in which the person has highly selective eating habits
or suffers from disturbed feeding patterns.
People who battle ARFID are not avoiding food due to body image concerns.
Instead, food texture and taste, digestive issues, a lack of interest, or a traumatic
event like choking lead someone to develop food fears.
ARFID is actually most common in infants, young children and sometimes in
teenagers.
 WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ARFID ?
The causes are multifactorial in nature: genetics, psychological and
triggering events. The three main causes of this eating disorder are:
• Avoidance or restriction due to apparent lack of interest in eating or food.
• Avoidance or restriction due to the sensory characteristics of food and the
individual's specific responses to these.
• Avoidance or restriction of food due to concerns about adverse or feared
consequences of eating.

Generally, ARFID can involve anyone of all ages, but are the most affected
are the infantile and adolescent sphrese; affects 60% of males and 40% of
females.
 Symptoms
Picky eating and a general lack of interest in eating are the main features of ARFID.
People with ARFID may not feel hungry or are turned off by the smell, taste,
texture, or color of food. Some kids with ARFID are afraid of pain, choking, or
vomiting when they eat. Many kids with ARFID are underweight. But others are
normal weight or overweight, especially if they eat only junk food.

Kids with ARFID are more likely to have:

• anxiety
• autism spectrum disorder
• problems at home and school because of their eating habits
 HOW TO HELP SOMEONE WITH AN
EATING DISORDER
ARFID is linked to strong emotions and worries around food. Be supportive and
encourage positive attitudes about exercise and nutrition at home. Try these tips:
• Serve and eat different meals.
• Schedule regular meals and snacks.
• Have regular family meals.
• Keep the mood at the table pleasant and avoid struggles during mealtimes.
• Encourage your child to try new foods, but do not force them to eat.
• Reward positive eating behaviors.
• Find ways to manage anxiety and stress around food. Taking a couple of deep
breaths can help your child relax. Yoga, meditation, music, art, dance, writing, or
talking to a friend can help manage stress. If you are concerned your child may
have an eating disorder, call your doctor for advice. The doctor can recommend
nutrition and mental health professionals who have experience treating eating
disorders in kids and teens
 TREATMENTS

The best treatment consist in a theraphy by a collaboration that

includes: a doctor, a dietician, a nutritionist and a therapist who is
specialized in eating disorders.

The main goals of treatments: The treatment may include:

1. Achieve and mantain a • Nutrition consueling
healthy weight and healthy • Medical care
eating patterns; • Feeding therapy
2. Increase the variety of foods
eaten;
3. Learn ways to eat without fear
of pain or choking.
FIRST TREATMENT
Given that researchers argue that
individuals with sensory sensitivity perceive
flavors, such as bitter or sweet, more
intensely than individuals without selective
and restrictive eating disorder, individuals
need to be taught the skills to approach
new foods in gradually: look, touch, smell,
taste and finally chew.
THIRD TREATMENT
The ARFID can be treated at home or in a
hospital-base program. Indeed some of
them can suffer of malnutrition or serious
health issues so they need the tube feeding
or the nutrition formulas to get the enough
calories and vitamins
SECOND TREATMENT
Following a second hypothesis, that individuals
showing lack of interest in food would be
characterized by homeostatic appetite
abnormalities, parental support must be
leveraged to increase the volume of diet for
young people who are underweight.
So to solve these problems also related to fear
of traumatic experiences, it is necessary to
proceed in 4 phases, which include:
1. psychoeducation and regular nutrition;
2. refeeding and treatment planning;
3. addressing relevant maintenance
mechanisms (sensory sensitivity, lack of
interest in eating, fear of adverse
consequences);
4. relapse prevention.
 HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE
ARFID?
Here are 14 signs to look out for when distinguishing between the squeamish and those with ARFID:
1. Lack of variety
2. Fear of how foods can make you feel
3. Wrap your identity in what you were
4. Know ALL the protocols and diets
5. Hyperaware of your health and how you feel
6. Ill eat out
7. Nothing seems to change the way you feel
8. Read all about your condition and recovery on Google
9. I have tried countless protocols
10. Low energy
11. You rarely experience signs of hunger or fullness
12. Easily cry or have repressed emotions that come out
13. Sometimes try to "forget it“
14. Tends to be very stressful or perfectionist
 Testimonials
He refuses foods based on sensory characteristics. There’s also a fear of
food, a hatred of food and food smells, and social anxiety around food.
Sometimes he throws up if he experiences an unsafe taste or texture.
He has a severely limited diet and is basically surviving on milk and
baby biscuits/snacks.” Issac’s Mum
 Testimonials
“He had an extremely limited diet that progressively got worse year
after year. It developed an inability to eat in social situations, with
friends, school camps, etc. There are also high levels of anxiety around
food and rigid food rules around color, shape, texture, and brands.” –
Kelly
Thank you for you attention!

By Guerriero Riccardo and Senna Adriana