Surge in numbers seeking help for 'ARFID' eating disorder

There has been a ‘dramatic increase’ in the number of people seeking help for an eating disorder that makes them avoid certain foods or only eat very specific, narrow food types.

The food disorder charity Beat has warned that it has seen a surge in the past five years in the numbers struggling with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

ARFID is an eating disorder that causes people to feel full after just a few mouthfuls, avoid certain foods, only eat specific, narrow food types (for example foods of the same colour), or who find eating a struggle. People with ARFID can also suffer from extreme sensitivity to the texture, smell or temperature of foods.

Beat has said it has seen a “dramatic increase” in people seeking help for the condition, with its helpline receiving more than 2,000 phone calls in 2023 – 10% of the total – from people seeking support for ARFID. This compared with 295 calls in 2018.

The warning comes as this week sees the kick-off of Eating Disorder Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday (3 March). Beat has said it is going to be using the week to raise awareness about ARFID in particular.

Beat chief executive Andrew Radford said: “It’s extremely worrying that there has been such a dramatic increase in those seeking support for ARFID, particularly as specialist care isn’t always readily available.

“ARFID is an eating disorder that rarely gets the attention it deserves, and it’s unacceptable that that seems to apply to funding, too.

“Now is the time for NHS decision-makers to ensure that anyone who needs support can get it from trained and fully equipped teams across the country,” Radford added.

ARFID is much less well-known than anorexia or bulimia, the charity has also highlighted, with its research suggesting that eight in 10 eating disorder service providers do not state on their website whether or not they offer care for ARFID.