Specialist nutritional support for teenagers and adults with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).
ARFID is about much more than being a “fussy eater”. Eating may be limited by sensory sensitivities, fear of something bad happening when you eat, very little interest in food or appetite, or a combination of these.
Over time, this can make it increasingly difficult to eat enough, get the nutrition you need or take part comfortably in meals and social situations.
We provide personalised nutritional support that works with your individual needs, helping you increase nutritional adequacy and food variety at a pace that feels manageable.
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What can ARFID feel like?
ARFID can look very different from one person to another. For some people, eating has been difficult since childhood. For others, restriction develops following an illness, choking or vomiting experience, digestive symptoms or another difficult experience with food.
You might experience:
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Eating a very limited range of familiar or “safe” foods
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Strong sensitivities to textures, smells, tastes, temperatures or the appearance of food
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Fear of choking, vomiting or becoming unwell after eating
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Very little interest in food or eating
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Low appetite or rarely feeling hungry
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Feeling full very quickly
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Difficulty eating enough to meet your nutritional needs
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Anxiety around unfamiliar foods or eating situations
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Avoiding restaurants, travel or social situations involving food
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Nutritional deficiencies
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Weight loss, low body weight or difficulty gaining weight
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Low energy, dizziness, feeling cold or difficulty concentrating
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Food and eating having an increasing impact on everyday life
ARFID isn't defined by body weight or appearance. You can be struggling to meet your nutritional needs or experiencing significant difficulties around food without being underweight.
Why might someone develop ARFID?
Sensory sensitivities
Texture, taste, smell, temperature, appearance or the way foods are combined can make particular foods extremely difficult to tolerate.
Fear of consequences
A frightening experience such as choking, vomiting or becoming unwell can lead to increasing fear and avoidance of food. Emetophobia can also play a significant role for some people.
Low interest in food or eating
Some people experience very little hunger or interest in food, forget to eat or find eating feels like an effort rather than something enjoyable.
Neurodivergence
ARFID commonly occurs alongside neurodivergence, including autism and ADHD. Sensory processing, interoception, predictability and anxiety around change may all be relevant to someone's eating.
Digestive & physical health
Nausea, reflux, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation or feeling full quickly can make eating more difficult and may reinforce food avoidance.
Previous experiences
Medical procedures, illness, trauma or difficult experiences around food and feeding can sometimes form part of the picture too.
Understanding what is making eating difficult for you is important because ARFID support needs to be individual. The approach for someone with strong sensory sensitivities may be very different from someone who is frightened of vomiting or simply has very little appetite.
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Specialist ARFID support
Our ARFID support is provided through our Eating Disorders & Relationship with Food service.
Nicola works with teenagers and adults with ARFID and restrictive eating, including where sensory sensitivities, food fears, low appetite, digestive symptoms or other health concerns are making it difficult to eat enough or get the nutrition you need.
How we can support you
Understand your individual eating pattern
We'll explore your current intake, safe or preferred foods, avoided foods, eating history, sensory needs, appetite, fears around food and any physical symptoms that may be making eating more difficult.
Support adequate nutrition
Our first priority is making sure you're getting enough nutrition. Where needed, we'll work with familiar and tolerated foods to increase energy, protein and nutrient intake, including supporting weight restoration where appropriate.
Gradually increase variety
Where expanding food variety is appropriate, we'll work gradually and collaboratively rather than simply asking you to eat foods that currently feel impossible.
Address wider health concerns
Our functional medicine approach also allows us to consider digestive symptoms, nutritional deficiencies and other physical health concerns that may be compounding the difficulties you have with eating.
Work alongside your wider care team
Where appropriate and with your consent, we can work alongside your GP, therapist, psychiatrist or other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
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