ARFID: Genetics a Major Factor in Little-Known Eating Disorder–New Research

According to new research, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID, might be the most heritable eating disorder. Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock

An estimated one to 5 percent of the world’s population suffers from an eating disorder that few people are even aware exists. Known as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID for short, the condition is an extreme form of restrictive eating—which, if left unchecked, can have a severe impact on a person’s life and health.