For autistic adults, coping with health challenges can be particularly complex. Previous studies have indicated a link between autistic traits and anorexia nervosa. Now, a new study sheds light on the prevalence of these traits in other types of eating disorders and their connection to the severity of the struggle.

A study published in Nutrients, 2026 Sep 4, examined these links in a broad sample of adults. The study analyzed data routinely collected from a specialized clinical service for eating disorders. It included adults diagnosed with several types of eating disorders, including restrictive or binge-purge type anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, atypical anorexia, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Researchers investigated the prevalence of high autistic traits (determined by a score of 6 or more on the AQ-10 questionnaire) and their association with the severity of eating disorder psychopathology, psychological distress, and difficulties in occupational and social functioning.

Prevalence of Autistic Traits in Various Eating Disorders

The study's findings indicate a high prevalence of autistic traits across a range of eating disorder diagnoses:

  • 40.0% of patients with ARFID reported high autistic traits.
  • 34.2% of patients with binge-purge type anorexia nervosa.
  • 31.9% of patients with restrictive type anorexia nervosa.
  • 27.0% of patients with bulimia nervosa.
  • 26.4% of patients with atypical anorexia.
  • 16.7% of patients with binge eating disorder.

Beyond prevalence, the study found that higher scores in autistic traits were significantly associated with greater severity of eating disorder psychopathology, more psychological distress, and more difficulties in occupational and social functioning. These associations were observed in samples of restrictive anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and the full sample, and they remained significant even after accounting for factors such as age and sex. In the case of bulimia nervosa, the association with eating disorder psychopathology severity did not remain significant after adjusting for eating disorder duration, but the other associations were maintained.

Implications of the Findings for the Autistic Community

These findings highlight the clinical relevance of autistic traits across a wide range of eating disorders. They suggest that awareness of these traits and the adaptation of treatment approaches based on an autistic understanding can be critical for improving care for people struggling with eating disorders. For the autistic community in Israel, this research reinforces the need for a holistic view of health challenges and for the development of services that address each person's unique neurological characteristics.

It is important to remember that this was a retrospective cross-sectional study, and therefore it can indicate associations but not direct causality between autistic traits and the severity of eating disorders.