What can cause a sudden aversion to food?
Sudden disgust or fear of food can develop from hormonal changes, emotional disturbances, or illness.1 Food aversion is not always an eating disorder, so understanding its potential causes is essential for management and recovery.
Pregnancy
Pregnant people may discover that certain foods they normally enjoy are suddenly making them feel sick (almost like the opposite of food cravings). This could be due to the activation of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF15). Levels of this stress-regulated hormone rise more than tenfold during the first trimester and continue to rise more slowly throughout pregnancy.2
Research suggests that high GDF-15 concentrations correlate with nausea and vomiting. This may be due to the hormone’s protective potential against toxic environmental agents.2
It's common for pregnant people to develop temporary food aversions.
Food allergies
Food allergies can discourage the consumption of foods known to cause an adverse reaction. Allergies manifest at any stage of life with mild to severe symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and inflammatory skin conditions.
Common food allergens include:
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Legumes
- Soy
- Sweet potato
- Tree nuts
- Grains
In a 2021 study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, people with multiple triggers were at a higher risk of developing food and taste aversions.3
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that often co-occurs with gastrointestinal issues and restrictive eating behaviors. These issues may start in childhood and persist throughout puberty and adulthood.
Eating behaviors such as food aversion might result from a combination of patterns associated with ASD, including restricted interests and sensory sensitivities regarding food.4
Gastrointestinal issues
People with a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder often seek to restrict or eliminate foods thought to intensify GI symptoms. These individuals may also have more severe symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
A 2021 article in the International Journal of Eating Disorders reported that groups with a GI disorder and ARFID may experience an indifference to eating, and overall disgust sensitivity that can cause greater food aversion.6
Mental health conditions
Anhedonia, a reduced ability to experience pleasure, is a key symptom of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. It may develop from dysfunctions in the reward system. Even short episodes of psychosocial stress, such as with grief or trauma, can induce anhedonia symptoms.
A 2022 study in Foods found that people with mental health conditions tend to have sensory food aversion, which means they focus on their food’s sensory characteristics, such as memories, novelty, eating with others, and ethical considerations.5
Steps to overcoming food aversions
Changing food preferences is a normal human experience. However, when “picky eating” negatively impacts physical or emotional well-being, it might be time to dig deeper into its triggers.
Since food aversion has varied causes, interventions, and their intensities will be different for everyone. Education and support about this condition can help ensure safe treatment and empowerment for cultivating a more positive connection with food.
The journey of recovery might involve:
- Trying new foods
- Eating new meals with family and friends
- Speaking with a nutritionist or family doctor about your aversion
- Seeking out treatment options if the aversion becomes disordered eating
Find freedom at Within
Within offers a dedicated, understanding team of experts ready to help you overcome your food aversion concerns. Our professionals build your treatment program based on your needs, preferences, and condition. We also work with your insurance to help maximize your access to our full range of services.
Let us help you restore your appetite for what you love. Get help for disordered eating at Within today.
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Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.
Disclaimer about weight loss drugs: Within does not endorse the use of any weight loss drug or behavior and seeks to provide education on the insidious nature of diet culture. We understand the complex nature of disordered eating and eating disorders and strongly encourage anyone engaging in these behaviors to reach out for help as soon as possible. No statement should be taken as healthcare advice. All healthcare decisions should be made with your individual healthcare provider.
