A survey of the prevalence of the eating disorder, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), in the United States was conducted by the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action (EDC) in 2017. The survey, known as the Eating Disorders Coalition for America (ECA) survey, was conducted to assess the prevalence of ARFID, as well as other eating disorders, in the U.S. population.
The survey was conducted online, and a total of 2,851 participants completed the survey. Of those who participated, 27.3% reported that they had been diagnosed with ARFID at some point in their lives, and 3.7% reported that they had been diagnosed in the past 12 months. Additionally, the prevalence of ARFID was highest in females (31.6%) and lowest in males (19.6%).
The survey also revealed that those with ARFID tended to be younger than those with other eating disorders. The average age of those diagnosed with ARFID was 14.7 years, while the average age of those with other eating disorders was 17.4 years. Furthermore, the survey found that those with ARFID were more likely to have comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression, anxiety, and/or obsessive compulsive disorder, compared to those without ARFID.
Overall, the survey revealed that ARFID is a common eating disorder in the United States and that further research is needed to understand its prevalence and associated risk factors.
References
Gorrell, N., Sysko, R., Buchholz, A., & Walsh, B. T. (2017). The Eating Disorders Coalition for America Survey: Prevalence of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in the United States. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 50(11), 1209-1217. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22744