What is Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder?

Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder is a type of eating disorder in which people eat only within an extremely narrow repertoire of foods. It is a serious mental health condition that causes the individual to restrict food intake by volume and/or variety. This avoidance may be based on appearance, smell, taste, texture , brand, presentation, fear of adverse consequences, lack of interest in food, or a past negative experience with the food, to a point that may lead to nutritional deficiencies, failure to thrive, or other negative health outcomes. The fixation is not caused by a concern for body appearance or in an attempt to lose weight.