Food restriction disorder is characterized by the presence of restrictive eating behaviors and significant weight loss, but, unlike anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, affected individuals do not exhibit a distorted body image or fear of weight gain.

It generally occurs in prepubertal children (more commonly affecting boys) who have always had eating problems. This disorder is associated with anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.