What illnesses cause food aversion?

December 18, 2025 •

2 min read

Food aversion affects people of all ages and is a strong dislike or avoidance of specific foods beyond typical preferences. For instance, studies suggest around 70% of children with autism frequently experience food issues, including intense aversions. Understanding what illnesses cause food aversion is a vital first step toward effective management and diagnosis.

Quick Summary

Several health issues can trigger food aversion, including gastrointestinal disorders, mental health conditions like anxiety or ARFID, cancer treatments, and hormonal changes during pregnancy. Neurological conditions, sensory sensitivities, and certain medications are also contributing factors. Seek professional help if aversion impacts health.

Key Points

Diverse Causes: Food aversions can stem from gastrointestinal, mental health, neurological, and hormonal issues.
ARFID is a clinical eating disorder: Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder involves extreme restriction unrelated to body image and can lead to malnutrition.
Sensory issues are a major factor: Conditions like autism and sensory processing disorder can cause intense aversions to food textures, smells, and tastes.
Trauma can trigger aversions: Negative experiences like choking or food poisoning can create lasting negative associations with certain foods.
Treatment side effects are common: Chemotherapy, radiation, and various medications can significantly alter taste and smell, causing food aversion in patients.
Pregnancy-related aversion is common and temporary: Hormonal shifts often trigger heightened senses and nausea during pregnancy, though aversions usually resolve after delivery.

Gastrointestinal and Digestive Problems

Many physical and digestive health problems can directly lead to food aversions.

Conditions affecting digestion

Several gastrointestinal issues like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Celiac Disease, Acid Reflux (GERD), food intolerances or allergies, and Gastroparesis can contribute to food aversion. Severe food poisoning can also cause post-infectious aversion.

Mental, Emotional, and Neurological Factors

Psychological distress and certain neurological conditions can also cause food aversions by altering how we perceive and react to food.

Psychological and eating disorders

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder characterized by a failure to meet nutritional needs, often due to sensory issues or fear, and is not related to body image concerns. Anxiety, depression, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), sensory processing disorder, and trauma can also contribute to food aversions.

Cancer and Its Treatments

Cancer and its treatments are a significant cause of food aversions.

Treatment-related causes

Chemotherapy often causes nausea, vomiting, and taste changes. Radiation to the head and neck can damage taste buds. The cancer itself can also cause appetite suppression.

Pregnancy

Food aversions are very common during pregnancy.

Hormonal fluctuations

Hormonal changes can heighten senses, making some foods unpleasant. Morning sickness is often linked to aversions. Some theories suggest pregnancy aversions might protect the fetus.

Comparison of ARFID and Picky Eating

ARFID is a serious disorder, while picky eating is a normal developmental stage. Here's a comparison:


Feature	Picky Eating (Neophobia)	Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
Underlying Cause	Fear of new foods, normal development, preference-driven	Fear of negative consequences, sensory issues, lack of interest; often anxiety-driven
Range of Food	Decreased variety but usually includes multiple texture categories	Highly limited range, often refusing entire categories or textures
Social Impact	Minimal	Significant interference with social functioning
Nutritional Impact	Typically does not cause significant deficiencies	Can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies or poor growth
Need for Intervention	Usually improves over time	Often requires professional help

Medications and Their Side Effects

Certain medications can cause food aversions by altering taste or causing nausea.

Common medication triggers

Chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, stimulants, antidepressants, and opioids are among medications that can affect appetite and taste.

Conclusion

Food aversion is a complex symptom linked to medical, mental, neurological, and physiological conditions. Causes range from eating disorders like ARFID to cancer treatment side effects, pregnancy, and sensory issues. It's vital to differentiate from normal picky eating as clinical food aversion can significantly impact nutrition and health. Seeking professional medical and psychological help is key to identifying the cause and creating a treatment plan.

Resources for Help

Organizations like the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) offer support for ARFID and other eating disorders. {Link: National Eating Disorders Association https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/by-eating-disorder/arfid}

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, food aversion can be a symptom of a wide range of underlying medical conditions, from gastrointestinal disorders like celiac disease to serious issues like cancer or a severe eating disorder like ARFID.

While common, if food aversions during pregnancy prevent you from eating a balanced diet and cause significant weight loss or nutritional deficiencies, it's important to talk to a doctor. In many cases, you can find healthy substitutes.

Picky eating is a normal developmental phase, while ARFID is a clinical eating disorder. ARFID involves more extreme restrictions, often tied to sensory issues or fears, leading to malnutrition or significant impairment.

Management often involves working with dietitians to find palatable alternatives, using plastic utensils to avoid metallic tastes, and eating foods cold or at room temperature to minimize odors. Strategies like timing meals around chemotherapy sessions can also help.

Many medications, including some antibiotics, stimulants for ADHD, and chemotherapy drugs, can cause food aversion as a side effect by altering taste perception or inducing nausea.

It depends on the cause. While normal picky eating often resolves with age, food aversions stemming from sensory issues, trauma, or underlying conditions like ARFID require professional intervention and typically do not go away on their own.

If a food aversion is severe, persistent, or leads to symptoms like significant weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, or social impairment, you should consult a healthcare provider. A doctor can help determine the underlying cause and recommend a treatment plan.