Clinical characteristics of hospitalized male adolescents and young adults with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

Abstract

Adolescent and young adult males with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) experience unique and significant medical complications compared to females with ARFID and youth with anorexia nervosa (AN). In this study, a greater proportion of youth with ARFID were male (36.1%) compared to those with AN (11.2%). Males with ARFID had a lower heart rate, lower total cholesterol, and higher hemoglobin levels than females with ARFID. They also required more nutrition at discharge to restore medical stability. Additionally, youth with ARFID of all sexes had lower BMI compared to youth with AN. These findings highlight important medical differences, particularly in males with ARFID, that clinicians should consider to guide appropriate treatment interventions in youth with ARFID.