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This resolution formally recognizes Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) as a serious eating and feeding disorder and calls for increased national attention to the condition. ARFID is a clinically diagnosed disorder characterized by persistent inability to meet nutritional needs due to sensory sensitivities, lack of interest in eating, or fear of negative consequences like choking or allergic reactions, rather than body image concerns. The disorder affects children and adults across all demographic groups and is strongly linked to genetics and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder, with research showing children with autism are 14 times more likely to have ARFID. The resolution does not provide direct funding but urges federal agencies, states, and local governments to improve early screening and diagnosis in pediatric care, support research into the disorder's biological and genetic causes, ensure schools provide appropriate accommodations for affected students, and expand access to multidisciplinary treatment services including feeding therapy, nutrition counseling, and behavioral health care. This is a symbolic congressional statement designed to raise awareness and encourage coordinated action across healthcare, education, and research sectors to address gaps in ARFID diagnosis and treatment.

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