Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and other childhood eating problems in Sweden and Japan: Cross-cultural population studies of prevalence, neurodevelopmental comorbidity and course

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18KK0263
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (B))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 58:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: Fujieda Mikiya 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系臨床医学部門, 教授 (60209020)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 須賀 楓介 高知大学, 医学部, 特任助教 (20527593) ; 滿田 直美 高知大学, 医学部, 特任助教 (30611389) ; 安光ラヴェル 香保子 高知大学, 医学部, 特任助教 (60598522) ; Muchanga Sifa・Marie・Joelle 国立研究開発法人国立国際医療研究センター, その他部局等, 特任研究員 (80830702) ; 小松 静香 高知大学, 医学部, 特任助教 (50886413)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-10-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ARFID / 回避・制限性食物摂取症 / 幼児期 / 摂食問題 / 精神神経発達障害 / Child neurodevelopment / 日本 / Sweden

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed the first parent-reported screening questionnaire for ARFID and used it to conduct the to date largest screening studies of ARFID in children up to 7 years. We screened ~3,700 Japanese children aged 4-7 years and 670 Swedish children aged 2-4 years. The prevalence of potential ARFID was 4.6% among the Swedish children and 1.3% among the slightly older Japanese children. Our data support strongly that the questionnaire is a good measure for ARFID. Children with significant neurodevelopmental problems before age 3 had a three times increased risk of later ARFID. Our results also suggested that early neurodevelopmental problems might aid in the early detection of ARFID as they were better predictors than early feeding problems. Based on our results we have improved the questionnaire. It is currently being used in several epidemiological and clinical studies and may be used as a routine screening tool in child health care to enhance the early detection of ARFID.

Free Research Field

小児科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Our results show that ARFID is not rare among children. We provide an effective questionnaire which may be used as a routine screening tool in child health care to enhance the early detection of ARFID. Screening for early neurodevelopmental problems might additionally aid in detecting ARFID.