Comparing the thoughts of people with a varied diet and people who have eating difficulties

About the study

ARFID is a relatively new eating disorder diagnosis. It refers to selective eating caused by (i) a lack of interest in food, (ii) sensory sensitivities to food qualities such as texture, or (iii) fear of choking.

Many health professionals are not aware of ARFID and very few (if any) specialist services have been set up to meet the needs of people with ARFID in the UK. This is problematic because ARFID can have a devastating impact on people’s physical health and quality of life.

This study seeks to understand the similarities and differences between ARFID and Anorexia in the beliefs that people have about food or themselves. It is hoped that the findings will be used to improve interventions in future.

What will it involve?

Taking part will take about 5-10 minutes and involves answering several questionnaires online.

We have currently fully recruited people with ARFID, however we are still looking for people with Anorexia Nervosa to participate. It is not necessary to have a formal diagnosis to take part. This is so we can understand the similarities and differences between people with ARFID and Anorexia in their beliefs about food and themselves.