The #OneBiteChallenge- The TikTok Trend Spreading ARFID Awareness

It’s been taking the internet by storm, with well-known content creators such as Mr. Beast and Dhar Mann facing their fears surrounding food to try it. You may have seen it pop up on your TikTok or Instagram feed recently, but do you really know what the #OneBiteChallenge is all about?

The #OneBiteChallenge started to raise awareness for an eating disorder known as ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). ARFID is a neurodivergence that causes severe fear and anxiety surrounding food, thus, limiting food intake and leading to nutritional deficiencies. People with the condition are more sensitive to tastes, textures, smells, and even the looks of food and may be afraid that certain foods are dangerous or unsafe to consume. It is often mistaken for picky eating, but ARFID is a psychological avoidance or resistance to food, and because of this avoidance, people with it often have very few foods- known as “safe foods”- that they can rely on. 

Safe foods can vary depending on the individual, but most individuals with ARFID tend to prefer processed foods over homemade or fresh foods that can vary in qualities. Think about it- when you’re eating a bowl of grapes, one grape can be sweet and delicious, while the other can taste awful. In order for a food to be considered “safe”, for most people, the taste and texture need to be consistent, and oftentimes processed foods are the ones that meet these requirements. Unfortunately, individuals with ARFID are at risk of not meeting their nutritional needs, and they are often given supplements, sometimes needing to rely on a feeding tube. It is a debilitating condition to live with, as the effects of it go beyond superficial hunger- lethargy/lack of energy and slowed growth rate are included in these effects.

The growing #OneBiteChallenge is raising awareness for ARFID by encouraging individuals to try one bite of a food that they have a fear of. The reasons for fearing certain foods could be the color, texture, etc. but trying one bite and recording it allows individuals to face their fears and motivate themselves to do so. The challenge was started by 8-year-old Hannah Lea, who has ARFID. Even though it is monumentally difficult to do, this courageous kid posts regular videos on Instagram and TikTok of herself trying new foods using the three-bite-rule, so she can truly know if she likes a food or not, and in the process, adding more foods to her “safe food” list.

Individuals with ARFID struggle every single day to nourish themselves and that’s why it’s so important to raise awareness for this condition that, despite looking like nothing more than picky eating, can take a massive toll on a person’s life. Through the #OneBiteChallenge, more and more people are motivated to conquer their fears surrounding food and demonstrate the strength it takes every day for people with ARFID to complete a task that we truly take for granted.