Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: A Narrative Review

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder is marked by patterned undereating that is driven by sensory sensitivity, fear of aversive consequences, and/or a lack of interest in eating or food. We, among others, hypothesized that aberrant neurobiological processes underlie and maintain these eating patterns. Over the last decade, research testing the neurobiological mechanisms of ARFID has begun, and emerging data suggest that eating behavior in ARFID may be a problem related to anticipation of eating, rather than the experience of actual food consumption, highlighting the potential therapeutic value of exposure therapy. In this narrative review, we summarize the nascent literature on the neurobiology and treatment of ARFID with focus on key questions and research directions to help advance knowledge of this condition.