Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder

This code represents a feeding or eating disturbance characterized by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. This disturbance is not due to lack of food availability, cultural practices, or another medical condition, and it results in significant weight loss, nutritional deficiency, dependence on enteral feeding or oral nutritional supplements, or marked interference with psychosocial functioning.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates an avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) based on diagnostic criteria. This typically involves a pattern of limited food intake due to sensory characteristics of food, aversive consequences of eating, or lack of interest in food, leading to clinical impairment. Supporting documentation should detail the specific symptoms and their impact.

• Differentiate from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa; ARFID does not involve body image disturbance.
• Ensure documentation specifies the absence of another medical or mental health condition that better explains the feeding disturbance.
• Consider sequencing with codes for associated nutritional deficiencies (e.g., E55.9 for Vitamin D deficiency) or weight loss (e.g., R63.4 for abnormal weight loss) when applicable.