Can avoidant restrictive food intake disorder be caused by autism?

ARFID is prevalent among people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and there are shared characteristics between these two conditions. Preliminary research suggests that the factors driving food avoidance and/or restriction in children with ASD often overlap with those observed in people with ARFID, with sensory sensitivity as a primary factor. However, because ARFID has only been included in the DSM since 2013, there is limited evidence on the prevalence of this co-occurrence, and a causal relationship between ARFID and ASD has not been established. When screening children for ARFID, it is important to consider the possibility of other conditions such as ASD. Equally, “picky eating” behaviors observed in children with ASD should not be disregarded as normal features of the disorder. It is essential to screen children with ASD for ARFID as early as possible to prevent situations of malnutrition, which can have even more severe consequences in people with ASD.^[1][2]