Connecting Eating Disorders and Sensory Processing Disorder: A Sensory Eating Disorder Hypothesis

Eating disorders are pathological conditions characterized by disturbed eating behaviors that affect mental and physical health. Among them, some Avoidant-Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), Pica and Anorexia Nervosa (AN) studies have shown, at least in part, a sensory-related etiology. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a neurological condition that exists when the brain has an altered processing of sensory signals, resulting in non-adaptive motor and/or behavioral responses. Some of the SPD phenotypes include hyper or hypo-reactivity to one or more sensory channels, including tactile, olfactory, visual and oral that might have connections with the aforementioned eating disorders, like atypical responses from determined food colors, textures or smells which eventually lead to unhealthy eating behaviors, weight imbalance, malnutrition and psychosocial impairment. We have gathered and discussed some of the most relevant studies about the connection between eating disorders and SPD, proposing a general term called sensory eating disorder to define peculiar SPD cases that might evolve to an established eating disorder.