ARFID malnutrition is a rather rare consequence of extreme avoidant restrictive food intake disorder. Malnutrition can take a variety of forms, but is always a serious health issue that can even become a fatal condition.
ARFID is an eating disorder in which affected people only eat a narrow range of food items. In many cases, the foods consumed are of poor nutritional value and result in dramatic health problems. Although most people with selective eating disorder do not qualify to be called malnourished (in fact, many are very healthy from a clinical perspective), people who do suffer nutrition-related health issues should seek treatment or face dire consequences.
Although I suffered from very extreme ARFID for almost 40 years, including all of my formative years as a child, I was never malnourished. In fact, I managed to grow up very strong and healthy, despite my inability to eat more than a handful of different foods, most of which were poor in terms of nutritional content.
This post will provide some important scientific facts concerning ARFID and malnutrition for people who suffer from selective eating problems and their parents or caregivers.
Types of ARFID Malnutrition
Malnutrition is generally thought of as a lack of some important dietary component and in many cases this is exactly right. However, malnutrition can also encompass cases of excessive pathological dietary components that are equally dangerous to overall health and wellness. Therefore, let’s explore all the most frequently observed types of malnutrition that may occur in ARFID sufferers:
Some people might not receive enough calories. Others might receive too many calories, especially in poor quality, high caloric foods.
Some people might not receive a complete nutritional supply of vitamins and/or minerals in their diet. Others might consume excessive amounts of particular vitamins or minerals that can cause health issues.
Too little or too much protein in the diet can create malnutrition.
Deficient or excessive carbohydrates in the diet can cause or contribute to malnutrition.
Consequences of Malnutrition from ARFID
Having a poor diet can create a wide-range of health problems, depending on the particulars of the person’s dietary intake. Ironically, since many forms of malnutrition are diametrically opposed to others, the negative consequences are often opposite, as well:
Some people will not grow properly. They will have trouble gaining weight and might suffer stunted growth in height. Others might suffer obesity and excessive fatty tissue accumulation.
Some people might suffer a deficiency in particular vitamins or minerals that lead to a reduction in functionality for a particular organ or bodily system. Others suffer vitamin or mineral toxicity leading to all manner of negative health effects.
Some people might have low energy levels and poor fitness performance.
Any bodily system, organ or component may possibly suffer from malnutrition. Some diseases are directly caused by poor nutritional intake.
ARFID Malnutrition Facts
Here are some super important facts regarding malnutrition and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder:
In some countries, children who are malnourished are considered to be abused. Parents or guardians might face criminal prosecution and penalties for allowing a child to suffer any type of documentable malnutrition.
Most people who suffer from selective eating appear quite health when subjected to a physical exam. This includes blood work and organ functionality. Most people are also considered normal weight and height for their age, although they do tend to be on the thin side in many cases.
It is critical to understand that although obesity is a terrible problem in the world today (especially with children), most obese people do not have ARFID. Instead, most simply choose to eat poorly, which is not an eating disorder. It is simply terrible decision making… Others can not afford (or claim to not be able to afford) quality foods, but these people, although possible malnourished, are suffering from economic issues, not an eating disorder like ARFID.
Most people associate malnutrition with third world countries. Unfortunately, the most common form of malnutrition in the world today comes from overeating poor quality foods leading to obesity and diabetes. This preventable health disaster is most prevalent in developed nations.
Somehow, the body is miraculously capable of extracting nutrition from even low quality foods in many people who DO have ARFID. I know this for a fact, since I ate almost nothing for decades, but was a textbook example of health and an athletic specimen my entire life. This is NOT to say that I could not have been even healthier if I DID eat better for all those many years! This is something that I will never know, but can certainly speculate upon given all the scientific evidence supporting such a possibility.
You might want to read more about what to do if your child will not eat or what kind of treatment is available for people with ARFID who do want to eat better. (If you do not want to change and you are an adult, that is your right also!)
