Reviewed by Amy Baker Dennis, PhD, FAED

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Unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED) applies to situations in which a person presents with symptoms of a feeding and eating disorder that cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of life, but do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders listed in the feeding and eating disorders section of the guidebook professionals use to diagnose mental illnesses (DSM-5 TR).1

The unspecified feeding and eating disorder category is also used in circumstances in which the clinician chooses not to specify the reason that the criteria are not met for a specific feeding and eating disorder, including times when there is insufficient information to make a more specific diagnosis (e.g., in emergency room settings).1

Treatment Considerations2

Treating unspecified feeding or eating disorder (UFED) requires working with a multidisciplinary team of health and mental health professionals who have expertise in treating eating disorders. This treatment team may include a physician, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and dietician. Given the serious physical and psychological consequences that can result from eating disorders it is essential to seek professional help as soon as possible. Early intervention has also been shown to be an important factor in improving treatment outcomes.3

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Sources

[1] American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR. American Psychiatric Association Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787

[2] Crone, C., Anzia, D. J., Fochtmann, L. J., & Dahl, D. (2023). The American Psychiatric Association practice guideline for the treatment of patients with eating disorders, Fourth Edition. American Psychiatric Association. Available at: https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890424865.

[3] Hambleton, A., Pepin, G., Le, A., Maloney, D., National Eating Disorder Research Consortium, Touyz, S., & Maguire, S. (2022). Psychiatric and medical comorbidities of eating disorders: findings from a rapid review of the literature. Journal of eating disorders, 10(1), 132. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00654-2