What Parents Need to Know About the Surge in ARFID Diagnoses
Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder is coming up more often in pediatric offices, while many families are hearing the term for the first time.
As awareness grows, so does the need to understand what this condition actually looks like and how it affects children.
The increase in ARFID eating disorders in 2025 has encouraged many clinicians to talk more openly about what separates it from typical picky eating.
What Is ARFID?
ARFID is a feeding and eating disorder defined by a strong, ongoing avoidance of food that leads to nutritional concerns, weight loss, or stalled growth.
It was officially recognized in 2013, giving clinicians a way to classify behaviors that had often gone unnoticed or mislabeled. Unlike other eating disorders, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder isn’t tied to body image. The avoidance centers around the food itself.
Some children show little interest in eating. Others avoid specific textures or smells. Some become fearful of negative outcomes, such as choking or getting sick. These patterns can become so limiting that regular meals become stressful and nutrient intake drops.
As ARFID continues over time, children may fall behind on growth charts, show signs of malnutrition, or struggle with their energy levels.
Adults can experience similar effects, including vitamin deficiencies, hormonal changes, and difficulty maintaining body temperature.
What Parents Should Watch For
Clinicians say ARFID symptoms in children often appear gradually. A child may start skipping meals, sticking to a short list of accepted foods, or showing distress when presented with anything new.
Sensory sensitivities can also play a role, especially when certain textures feel overwhelming. Parents may also notice behavioral changes, including:
Low appetite
Extreme selectiveness
Fear of choking
Frequent worry about eating
Some children develop upset stomachs linked to stress around meals, while others lose interest in food altogether.
Growth patterns can offer another clue. When a child drops off their usual curve, doctors often take a closer look at eating habits.
ARFID can also occur in children who fall within an average weight range, so clinicians remind parents to trust their instincts if something feels off.
Why Diagnoses Are Increasing
There are a few different factors here. More providers now recognize the condition, which has contributed to the rise in reported cases. Mental health screenings are also more common, and pediatricians are better trained to identify early eating concerns.
For some families, fear-based eating behaviors began after a choking scare, a stomach illness, or a sustained period of worry.
Certain trends may be contributing, as well. Anxiety in children has increased over the past several years, and researchers are finding that anxiety and ARFID often intersect.
Recent studies show that up to 70% of people who are diagnosed with ARFID also have an anxiety condition.
Because the symptoms overlap, the connection between ARFID and an anxiety disorder can make diagnosis confusing for families.
What Researchers Are Learning About the Brain
Studies in the past few years have looked at how the brain responds to food in different ARFID profiles.
Early findings suggest that fear-based ARFID may activate areas connected to threat perception, while low-interest ARFID may be tied to reduced activity in regions related to appetite and reward.
Sensory-driven ARFID seems to be connected to a heightened response in areas that process texture and physical sensations.
These studies are still developing, but understanding the neurological patterns behind the disorder may support more nuanced care in the future.
Current Treatment Options
Most ARFID treatment options in 2025 focus on behavioral therapies that help rebuild comfort around food. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often used to slowly expand a child’s food choices and reduce fear or avoidance. Treatment tends to be most effective when families participate, especially for younger children.
Parents may be taught how to introduce small bites of new foods, maintain structured mealtimes, and avoid overly accommodating restrictive patterns. Over time, a consistent approach can help children reconnect with eating in a safer and more predictable way.
Older teens and adults may benefit from therapy that targets anxiety, sensory responses, or emotional distress around food.
While progress can feel slow, patients can make meaningful improvements when treatment targets the underlying cause.
Looking Ahead at Care Options
Doctors emphasize that recovery takes time, but early intervention helps. As research expands and awareness grows, we have more tools than ever to recognize the signs and seek help for ourselves or our loved ones
Still, understanding the condition is the first step toward finding steady and supportive care, along with the hope that healing is possible.
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