A Multicenter Study to Assess Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Nutrition

Background:

• Disordered eating is prevalent in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients.
• Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a specific type of disordered eating.
• Understanding ARFID prevalence and predictors in IBD is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of ARFID in patients with IBD.
• To identify factors that predict ARFID in IBD patients.
• To explore the relationship between ARFID and disease activity/characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Multi-center study involving 325 IBD patients.
• Utilized the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Questionnaire (PARDI-AR-Q) for ARFID screening.
• Assessed disease characteristics, psychosocial variables, and objective disease activity.

Main Results:

• 17.8% of all IBD patients screened positive for ARFID.
• 16.3% of patients with inactive IBD screened positive for ARFID.
• GI-specific anxiety was the sole significant predictor of ARFID in inactive IBD.

Conclusions:

• ARFID affects a notable percentage of IBD patients, irrespective of objective disease activity.
• GI-specific anxiety is a critical factor associated with ARFID in inactive IBD.
• Multidisciplinary care approaches are essential for managing ARFID in IBD patients.