Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: Review and Recent Advances

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder recently codified in DSM-5 that affects individuals of all ages. A proliferation of ARFID research has emerged over the years, and this review provides a brief overview of the current understanding of ARFID epidemiology, symptoms, comorbid conditions, assessment, and treatment. The review highlights recent research updates regarding ARFID among adults, putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying ARFID, and new treatment trials. Findings from this review demonstrate that ARFID is as prevalent as other eating disorders, even among adults, and is associated with significant medical and psychiatric comorbid conditions. New, promising treatments for children, adolescents, and adults are in the early stages of development. Several assessments are now available to aid in the screening and diagnosis of ARFID and have demonstrated cross-cultural validity. Areas for future research and clinical guidance, including unresolved questions regarding ARFID categorization and differential diagnosis, are discussed.