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ARFID NHS England 20 January 2026

DormouseAtRest_25

ARFID - avoidant restrictive food intake disorder.

Children and young people.

NHS Community Eating Disorder Service (CEDS).

News 20 January 2026 - "NHS staff to train teachers, school nurses, and GPs to spot eating disorders":

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/01/nhs-staff-to-train-teachers-school-nurses-and-gps-to-spot-eating-disorders/

NHS England National Guidance 20 January 2026 "Eating disorder services for children and young people: National guidance":

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/eating-disorder-services-for-children-and-young-people-national-guidance/

However, a big gap in service provision remains:

...services in support of adults experiencing ARFID.

Parents

  • Yes … I had a really bad experience. I am autistic, have IBS and have experienced digestive issues my whole life- I have also always been quite picky about food and sensitive to textures etc. It all got worse a few years ago and I would loose a lot of weight unintentionally and end up eating only a few safe foods as I was so anxious about triggering the digestive issues. I am also very bad at telling when I am hungry or full. I got misdiagnosed with anorexia nervosa even though I was terrified of loosing weight and it was very distressing- this misdiagnosis caused so much damage. A few years later I was reassessed and they said it was a misdiagnosis and I have ARFID- they then said - ‘we don’t treat that’ and that was it - luckily I had my own support system and dietitian by then who has been amazing at understanding about autism and how stress and everything impacts digestion and eating. But still, the NHS in my area is failing individuals with ARFID- I still think it is better for them not to do anything rather than misdiagnose and give inappropriate treatment- I think they must have known things didn’t quite fit the previous diagnosis but they tried very hard to fit me into their box/label. 

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  • Yes … I had a really bad experience. I am autistic, have IBS and have experienced digestive issues my whole life- I have also always been quite picky about food and sensitive to textures etc. It all got worse a few years ago and I would loose a lot of weight unintentionally and end up eating only a few safe foods as I was so anxious about triggering the digestive issues. I am also very bad at telling when I am hungry or full. I got misdiagnosed with anorexia nervosa even though I was terrified of loosing weight and it was very distressing- this misdiagnosis caused so much damage. A few years later I was reassessed and they said it was a misdiagnosis and I have ARFID- they then said - ‘we don’t treat that’ and that was it - luckily I had my own support system and dietitian by then who has been amazing at understanding about autism and how stress and everything impacts digestion and eating. But still, the NHS in my area is failing individuals with ARFID- I still think it is better for them not to do anything rather than misdiagnose and give inappropriate treatment- I think they must have known things didn’t quite fit the previous diagnosis but they tried very hard to fit me into their box/label. 

Children
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