Autism spectrum disorder. Individuals with autism spectr um disorder often present with
rigid eating behaviors and heightened sensor y sensitivities. However, these features do
not always result in the level of impairment  that would be required for a diagnosis of
avoidant/restrictive food intake  disorder. Avoidant/restrictive  food intake disorder should
be diagnosed concurrently only if all criteria  are met for both disorders and when the eat-
ing disturbance requires  specific treatment.
Specific phobia, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), and other anxiety disorders.
Specific phobia, other type, specifies “situation s that may lead to choking or vomiting” and
can represent the primary trigge r for the fear, anxiety, or avoidance required for diagnosis.
Distinguishing specific phobia from avoidant/res trictive food intake disorder can be dif-
ficult when a fear of choking or vomiting h as resulted in food avoidance. Although avoid-
ance or restriction of food intake secondar y to a pronounced fear of choking or vomiting
can be conceptualized as specific phobia, in  situations when the eating problem becomes
the primary focus of clinical attention, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder becomes
the appropriate diagnosis. In social anxiety disorder, the individual  may present with a
fear of being observed by others while eating , which can also occur in avoidant/restrictive
food intake disorder. 
Anorexia nervosa. Restriction of energy intake relati ve to requirements  leading to sig-
nificantly low body weight is a core featur e of anorexia nervosa.  However, individuals
with anorexia nervosa also display a fear of ga ining weight or of becoming fat, or persis-
tent behavior that interferes with weight gain , as well as specific disturbances in relation to