Table 1.

Summary of studies included in the research.

Study	Aim	Method	Treatment Modality, Period and Recipients	Clinical Outcome
Shimshoni et al., 2020 [22]	To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions adapted for ARFID (SPACE-ARFID).	Family accommodation and ARFID severity were evaluated before and after the treatment in 15 families. Satisfaction was evaluated.	Hospital treatment 12 sessions Children	ARFID-related interference ratings and symptom severity were significantly reduced. 13 participants added from 1 to 14 new food/beverages in their diet. Food-related flexibility increased, while family accommodation decreased after the treatment. Satisfaction levels were high both in family and patients.
Bryson et al., 2018 [23]	To evaluate the long-term effects of the partial hospitalization program for ED on ARFID patients.	ARFID patients were compared with AN patients who had been discharged at least 12 months previously. Medical record data, Children’s Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) scores, and median BMI, were evaluated.	Hospital treatment 7 sessions. Children and Adolescents	AN and ARFID patients showed similar BMI increases from intake to discharge, whereas in ChEAT they showed low scores at discharge. Both patient types maintained low scores in both ChEAT and weight at subsequent follow-ups. Compared to AN patients, there were fewer ARFID patients receiving post-treatment care
Thomas et al., 2020 [24]	To assess acceptability, proof of concept and feasibility of CBT in ARFID patients (CBT-AR).	CBT-AR was offered both to patients in individual or family format.	CBT 20–30 sessions. Children and Adolescents	The subgroup composed of underweight patient moved from the 10th to the 20th BMI percentile showing significant weight gain. Patients introduced a mean of 16.7 (SD = 12.1) new foods. ARFID severity decreased and 70% no longer met criteria for the pathology.
King et al., 2015 [25]	To illustrate the case of an ARFID patient with anxiety disorder treated with CBT.	Cognitive and behavioral techniques, specifically psychoeducation, systematic desensitization and cognitive restructuring were employed.	CBT. 6 sessions. Adolescent	Eating meal percentage augmented to an interval between 70–100%. Anxiety resulted to be reduced and BMI increased to 17.4 kg/m2.
Dumont et al., 2019 [26]	To test the functionality of a new exposure-based daytime CBT treatment in ARFID patients.	ARFID patients (10–18 years) underwent four weeks of CBT. At baseline and at 3 month follow up food selectivity test, a 1-week food diary and behavioral measures of food intake were performed.	CBT. 28 sessions. Children and Adolescents	At the end of the treatment food acceptance increased in 91% of patients, and 6/11 patients did not meet any of ARFID criteria anymore. At follow-up all but one of patients were in remission. Food neophobia score decreases as well as anxiety levels. Food frequency and intake also increased, indeed gained weight, and achieved an adequate nutritional intake for their age.
Taylor et al., 2021 [27]	Assess whether the benefits of the treatment can be retained when parents are trained and continue the program at home and during meals outside the home.	26 ARFID children were offered. The parents were trained so they could continue it at home. Treatment outcomes included mealtime behavior and the range/quantity of food eaten.	CBT. 11 sessions. Children	All therapeutic goals agreed upon at the beginning of the treatment were achieved by the patients. On average, the patients introduced 92 different foods into their diet. Improvements were recorded at the end of treatment and were maintained at subsequent follow-ups up to an average of 2.3 years. Parents’ levels of acceptability and satisfaction with the treatment were high.
Zucker et al., 2019 [28]	To present the case of a 4 years old ARFID patient to enhance knowledge about the treatment efficacy.	Patient was treated by Feeling and Body Investigators -ARFID Division, an interoceptive exposure treatment based on acceptance. Using playful cartoons and other exposures, patients were taught to recognize their feelings, emotions, and actions and to give them meaning.	CBT. 11–15 sessions. Children	Interoceptive Exposures revealed themselves as an effective method that increases self-regulation abilities and reduces ARFID symptoms. Patient reported to enjoy the treatment. Quantity of food improved after two sessions, and spontaneous requesting of snacks increased after six. At the end of treatment, patient no longer met criteria for ARFID. Monthly maintenance therapy was continued at parents’ request.
Bloomfield et al., 2018 [29]	To examine the effectiveness of teleconsultation in implementing a behavioral intervention to increase the variety of foods in an ARFID patient.	Target behavior was consumption of 10 bites of a nonpreferred food. Reinforcements were placed on a fixed ratio. Patient received reinforcement following every successful bite consumed without expelling the food.	CBT. 12 sessions Children	Bites frequency for non-preferred foods increased following successive boosts in criteria. Acceptance level for the technology process and intervention was high.
Lock et al., 2018 [30]	Describe how to use FBT in the treatment of ARFID patients.	The use of FBT in patients without weight problems with three different clinical presentations of ARFID was analyzed: (1) lack of interest and poor appetite; (2) eaters sensitive to the physical characteristics of food and (3) eaters fearful of adverse effects.	FBT. 17–19 sessions. Children and Adolescents	There was consistent weight gain and eating related cognitions improvement. Mental health conditions also resulted to be improved.
Lock et al., 2019 [31]	To assess modifications between FBT treatment and usual care (UC).	Effect size (ES) differences between the two approaches were evaluated.	FBT. Unspecified. Children and Adolescents	For clinical severity and weights measure ES differences were moderate to large, favoring FBT-ARFID over UC. Both normal weight and underweight patients gained more weight in FBT-ARFID and severity of symptoms resulted reduced. FBT-ARFID resulted to be acceptable to families and preferable even by improvement recorded.
Spettigue et al., 2018 [32]	Illustrate the clinical cases, treatments, and outcomes of 6 arfid patients in the context of a hospital ED program.	Treatment included family therapy, CBT, drug treatment (olanzapine, fluoxetine, cyproheptadine) and monitoring.	FBT. 14–28 sessions. Children and Adolescents	All patients achieved their goal weight, reducing tantrums and augmenting food intake varieties. All patients responded well to treatment, and it reduced their anxiety in general and at school.
Rosania K., Lock J., 2020 [33]	Describe the use of FBT in a 9-year-old patient sensitive to the physical characteristics of food.	9-year-old patient underwent 2 phase FBT.	FBT. 17 sessions. Children	At the end of treatment, the patient gained 2.1 kg, the severity of clinical symptoms decreased to the point where she no longer met the DSM criteria for ARFID. Patient introduced 13 new foods in her diet.
Le Grange et al., 2020 [34]	To make a comparison between the effectiveness of FBT, CBT-E.	107 patients diagnosed with an ED chosen between CBT-E and FBT. Evaluations were conducted before and after treatment, 6 and 12 months later.	FBT or CBT. 20–40 sessions. Children	At the end of the treatment weight gain was found to be significantly higher in FBT than in CBT-E, but this did not occur at follow-up. Higher weight gain was achieved for patients with lesser externalizing problems, no psychiatric disorder, and no history of abuse. CBT-E was chosen by less well and older participants.
Naviaux A.F., 2019 [35]	Report an ARFID presentation, identification, and its management modalities in a pediatric ward of a general hospital.	A 12-year-old ARFID patient case, treated by a multidisciplinary team, was described and a literature review was conducted.	FBT and pharmacological treatment. 3 sessions. Children	During three admissions, the patient underwent a partial hospitalization model, FBT and mirtazapine. The treatment was successful. Patient’s quality of sleep, stress and fatigue improves. Nausea disappears and she starts to eat more regularly.
Schermbrucker et al., 2017 [36]	To assess treatment challenges of ARFID and to discuss socio-cultural factors that may contribute to not accepting a psychological diagnosis.	The case of an 11-year-old Colombian ARFID patient was described. Food exposure therapy, group therapy and pharmacological treatment was offered, but patient declined all of them, so NGT feeding was performed. The role that culture plays in the diagnosis of the disease was analyzed.	CBT, pharmacological treatment, NGT. Unspecified Children	After the discharge, patient had a weight of 39.8 kg (97% of his ideal body weight) and his nutritional intake was 3000 kcal per day. The results show that the potential issues that emerged on the cultural side of treatment and diagnosis and the disorder could be useful for both health professionals and the patient.
Dolman et al., 2021 [37]	Describe the case of an 11-year-old ARFID patient with the characteristics of all three ARFID subtypes.	A therapeutic approach that combined aspects of drug therapy (sertraline and olanzapine), CBT, FBT was used.	CBT, FBT, pharmacological treatment. Unspecified Children	Patient achieved a 27% weight gain from admission, and a BMI of 18.9 (>85th percentile for age). Ferritin and hemoglobin levels improved as well as vitamin A, C, and E deficiencies. Patient introduced 3 new foods into the daily diet.

Legend: ARFID = Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder; ED = Eating Disorder; AN = Anorexia Nervosa; FBT = Family Based Treatment; CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Treatment; CBT-E = Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Enhanced; BMI = Body Mass Index; NGT = Nasogastric tube. ChEAT = Children’s Eating Attitudes Test; SPACE-ARFID = Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions adapted for ARFID; UC = usual care; ES = Effect size.