Prevalence of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) in Undergraduate DPT Students

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a relatively new eating disorder diagnosis characterized by limited food intake due to lack of interest, sensory-based avoidance, or concern about aversive consequences, which can negatively impact nutritional health and quality of life. University students, such as those pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), may be at risk due to stress and lifestyle factors. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of ARFID in undergraduate DPT students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 377 students from different universities in Karachi using the PARDI-AR-Q-Self-14+ questionnaire. SPSS version 22 was used for data analysis, including frequencies and percentages. Results: The findings revealed that out of 377 participants, 28% responded “YES” while 72% responded “NO” to ARFID prediction. Participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 26 years, with a female majority (72%) compared to males (27%). The highest prevalence was observed in lack of interest in food, with 53.3% at level 1, 18.3% at level 2, 15.1% at level 3, 8.5% at level 4, 4.0% at level 5, and 1.1% at level 6, whereas sensory-based avoidance showed the lowest prevalence. Most participants fell within a healthy BMI range, while the least were classified as obesity class I. Conclusions: Undergraduate DPT students demonstrated low prediction of ARFID but highlighted a notable lack of interest in food or eating as the most prevalent pattern. The overall findings suggest limited awareness about ARFID among students, indicating a need for educational programs, seminars, and webinars to increase awareness and promote a better quality of life.