Picky Eating Adults Food Disorder

[divalasvegas]

While channel surfing over the weekend, I came across an interesting program on the Food Network, My Life in Food, devoted to a group of people who described themselves as adult picky eaters. Specifically, these were not people who didn’t like certain foods or cuisines, but adults whose food choices were severely limited to eating only a handful of specific foods. For instance:

- One man whose diet consisted of french fries and grilled cheese sandwiches (who lamented at not having been on a date in 12 years)

- A woman with a core diet of peanut butter and crackers

- Another woman who apparently could only eat bread sticks at Pizza Hut. Seriously. She would always order them “loaded” with whatever topping they sprinkle on them at Pizza Hut, but wouldn’t even touch the sauce that accompanied them and could only eat the middle parts, not the ends.

The program not only focused on their food preferences, but also how their eating habits affected them psychologically and socially, their relationships, struggles to change their behavior as well as health issues. One woman in particular related how she had been forced to consider changing her limited diet of primarily french fries since after being cancer free for three years (she had breast cancer) a recent check up indicated that the cancer may have returned.

Also featured was an online support group started by a self-proclaimed adult picky eater, Picky Eating Adult Support. A meeting of several members of this group was filmed at, ironically, a restaurant. Among other things, they discussed how they had suffered a great deal of social isolation because of how they eat and shared stories of how they were treated by “normal” eaters who they felt wanted to embarrass or shame them about their condition.

I wanted to find out if anyone here saw this show or heard of this condition? Does anyone have personal experience with someone with similar eating habits? Also, how is it possible for people to survive for decades like this without consuming any foods that contain the nutrients we’ve all been told are essential for maintaining good health or even life itself?

I had personally never heard of this phenomenon in adults which some researchers have named SED (Selective Eating Disorder). There have been numerous topics on eG about personal food likes and dislikes, eating habits of relatives/friends that we find annoying, supertasters, etc. but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this topic discussed here. I’d be interested in hearing your opinions or experiences with this phenomenon.

[KristiB50]

I work with a woman who eats nothing but baked b/s chicken breasts and lima beans. Breakfast lunch and dinner.

I never chalked it up to a disorder. I thought it was odd but each to their own.

I did ask her once if she ever got bored with it an she said no.

I don't know her well enough to ask her about it until she offers up information again.

[slkinsey]

This sort of thing tends to be associated with Autism spectrum disorders, and also with obsessive compulsive disorders.

I would think that anyone who eats nothing but french fries and grilled cheese sandwiches would be living a significantly impaired life. Anyone who eats nothing but baked skinless/boneless chicken breasts and lima beans, and is unwilling to eat anything else, has a disorder.

Most of us have certain foods we do not like which we could learn to like if sufficiently motivated. I, for example, don't like any member of the squash family. This is somewhat limiting, but I think the evidence is that I eat a wider variety of foods than most people. I'm quite certain I could learn to like squash. I just don't want to, and I don't have any real motivation to do so. The reality is, however, that avoiding squash doesn't materially inhibit my enjoyment of a wide variety of foods, nor does it force me to eat an extremely restrictive diet. If I were living in an area of the world where squash was a major everyday staple, I'd buckle down and learn to like it.

For most of these people, some sort of cognitive behavioral therapy should have some positive effect. But these are very severe cases, and I have my doubts as to whether they will ever have anything approaching a normal relationship with food.

Edited July 13, 2009 by slkinsey (log)

[divalasvegas]

This sort of thing tends to be associated with Autism spectrum disorders, and also with obsessive compulsive disorders.

I would think that anyone who eats nothing but french fries and grilled cheese sandwiches would be living a significantly impaired life.  Anyone who eats nothing but baked skinless/boneless chicken breasts and lima beans, and is unwilling to eat anything else, has a disorder.

Most of us have certain foods we do not like which we could learn to like if sufficiently motivated.  I, for example, don't like any member of the squash family.  This is somewhat limiting, but I think the evidence is that I eat a wider variety of foods than most people.  I'm quite certain I could learn to like squash.  I just don't want to, and I don't have any real motivation to do so.  The reality is, however, that avoiding squash doesn't materially inhibit my enjoyment of a wide variety of foods, nor does it force me to eat an extremely restrictive diet.  If I were living in an area of the world where squash was a major everyday staple, I'd buckle down and learn to like it.

For most of these people, some sort of cognitive behavioral therapy should have some positive effect.  But these are very severe cases, and I have my doubts as to whether they will ever have anything approaching a normal relationship with food.

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Your reasoning about the nature of this condition makes a lot of sense. My initial gut reaction was that these people became this way during childhood and this behavior was tolerated or indulged which may have given them a sense of comfort or power so they never bothered to try to do anything about it their entire lives.

Indeed the woman who was trying to change because of a possible reoccurance of breast cancer had previously been shown boasting about how she thought she was just fine and had made it through the years despite dire warnings from family and friends. However, at least she was making progress using behavioral therapy as you suggested and has greatly expanded the variety of foods she eats. Another woman (the bread stick woman) did try hypnotherapy to reduce her anxiety levels by not just eating but touching different foods; in her case the therapist used carrots and celery, but didn't appear to make any significant progress. As for the man who only eats french fries and grilled cheese, his "solution" was to find a restaurant that specializes in grilled cheese.

I still wonder why, as was noted in the program, all of these people's limited eating seemed to be limited to the consumption of white/beige/brown foods? And exactly how does the body adapt to being so deprived of essential vitamins and minerals, protein, etc.?

[djyee100]

I've never encountered anyone with Selective Eating Disorder. Someone I know who counsels anorexics told me that her clients commonly project their fears onto food, then avoid food. So I wonder if something like that is going on here.

As for myself, my friends say I'm unusual because of the wide range of foods I will eat. I'm on the other end of the spectrum from SED. My parents' attitude was, "It's food, isn't it? You like it." My brother and I both grew up to be adventurous eaters.

[divalasvegas]

I've never encountered anyone with Selective Eating Disorder. Someone I know who counsels anorexics told me that her clients commonly project their fears onto food, then avoid food. So I wonder if something like that is going on here.

As for myself, my friends say I'm unusual because of the wide range of foods I will eat. I'm on the other end of the spectrum from SED.    My parents' attitude was, "It's food, isn't it? You like it." My brother and I both grew up to be adventurous eaters.

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Another adventurous eater here too djyee100! I actually come from a family of totally non-adventurous eaters and I know from some of the looks I've received over the years because of my food choices they found "weird" or "strange" (meaning Indian food, Lebanese food, Ethiopian food, etc., etc., etc.) that there are just some people who don't get it, meaning stepping out of their safety zone when it comes to food. Oh well, as I say, more for me.

But back to the original topic, I'm still curious and awaiting answer as to why all white/beige/brown foods. Really. I just don't get it and was hoping for some scientific/medical input from someone here as to why that's all these folks eat. I also wanted to say that I agree with them about the hurtful, shaming comments people make to them, either privately or publicly; that's just hateful, rude and wrong, and, most importantly not helpful. However, I would be less than honest to not also say that I would find having any kind of intimate relationship--lover, spouse, very close friend--with a person who had this disorder impossible.

[heidih]

As to the white/beige food limitation, it sounds just like a phase some very picky children go through. I am sure many of us have encountered the child who will eat only plain soft white bread (maybe buttered), or plain noodles, and other foods in that vein. To the extent that we retreat to a time of comfort when we are overwhelmed as adults, it makes sense to me from a psychological perspective. I know someone who during an anorexic phase was fixated on the baby teething biscuits made by Gerber. Restricting food is also about exerting control in a situation or time of your life when you feel you have little control over anything. We do it as children and it is a safe pattern we can fall back into in times of stress as adults. I have no credentials; this is all from personal observation of lots of folks with what are called food issues, but are truly coping issues.

[divalasvegas]

As to the white/beige food limitation, it sounds just like a phase some very picky children go through. I am sure many of us have encountered the child who will eat only plain soft white bread (maybe buttered), or plain noodles, and other foods in that vein. To the extent that we retreat to a time of comfort when we are overwhelmed as adults, it makes sense to me from a psychological perspective. I know someone who during an anorexic phase was fixated on the baby teething biscuits made by Gerber. Restricting food is also about exerting control in a situation or time of your life when you feel you have little control over anything. We do it as children and it is a safe pattern we can fall back into in times of stress as adults. I have no credentials; this is all from personal observation of lots of folks with what are called food issues, but are truly coping issues.

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I have no credentials either so I truly appreciate and respect your perspectives from a life experience level. That's all I have really. But I am quite surprised and dismayed that there is absolutely no one here on eG of all places who can give us an additional scientific/medical perspective on this disorder. The happy exception is of course the insight offered by slkinsey.

[prasantrin]

That's all I have really. But I am quite surprised and dismayed that there is absolutely no one here on eG of all places who can give us an additional scientific/medical perspective on this disorder.

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Why should anyone here be any more qualified to give a scientific/medical perspective? eG members are generally members because they have an interest in eating and/or cooking food, not because they are experts in the scientific/medical side of being a picky eater.

Edited July 15, 2009 by prasantrin (log)

[divalasvegas]

That's all I have really. But I am quite surprised and dismayed that there is absolutely no one here on eG of all places who can give us an additional scientific/medical perspective on this disorder.

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Why should anyone here be any more qualified to give a scientific/medical perspective? eG members are generally members because they have an interest in eating and/or cooking food, not because they are experts in the scientific/medical side of being a picky eater.

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Hi prasantrin. Sorry, didn't mean to offend, however over the years of reading here I know for a fact that there are doctors, nurses, nutritionists, food historians, etc. who post here, hence my dismay, and I stand by my original question.

EDITED for attempted clarity.

Edited July 15, 2009 by divalasvegas (log)

[PandoraLost]

I had a cousin growing up who for years wouldn't eat anything except hot dogs, chicken fingers, cool whip, and maybe one or two other things; I don't recall ever personally going through a "picky eater" phase, although I remember distinctly not wanting to eat sweet potatoes for some reason. I think it may have been that we had sweet potatoes frequently and I just didn't want them, or something like that.

The adult manifestation of it, though, is interesting. I'm curious about the nutritional aspect of it, myself. Do they take supplements? Because that kind of extreme selectivity regarding food would exclude a LOT of vitamins and minerals (although the grilled cheese guy--they tend to fortify cheeses and breads with way more vitamins than you're supposed to get from wheat or milk...), and stuff like nutritional deficiencies would be really noticeable. (goiter, for example, or scurvy, or rickets, or pellagra).

I agree that the negative comments are counterproductive; it really ought to be treated as an eating disorder (and presumably it is?). I wonder how many people with this "problem" actually seek help?

I will have to research this.