Researchers in Italy created an Italian-language version of a screening tool called NIAS to help doctors identify a condition called ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). This condition goes beyond normal picky eating—it can seriously affect nutrition and health. The team of doctors, psychologists, and nutrition experts carefully translated the tool from English to Italian and tested it with 23 patients. The results show that Italian speakers find the new tool easy to understand and use, making it helpful for doctors to properly diagnose this eating disorder in Italy.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether a screening tool for identifying a serious picky eating disorder (ARFID) works well when translated into Italian
  • Who participated: 23 Italian-speaking patients who visited a dietetics (nutrition) clinic in Milan, Italy
  • Key finding: The Italian version of the screening tool was easy for patients to understand and use, suggesting it works well for identifying ARFID in Italian-speaking populations
  • What it means for you: If you’re Italian and concerned about severe picky eating (yours or a loved one’s), doctors now have a reliable tool to help diagnose whether it’s ARFID or just normal food preferences. This helps ensure people get the right treatment.

The Research Details

Researchers took an existing English-language screening tool for ARFID and carefully translated it into Italian. They worked as a team including psychiatrists (brain doctors), psychologists (mind specialists), and dietitians (nutrition experts) to make sure the translation was accurate. They then translated it back to English to check that nothing was lost in translation. Finally, they gave the Italian version to 23 real patients at a nutrition clinic and asked them how easy it was to understand and use.

This approach is important because medical tools need to work the same way in different languages. Simply translating word-for-word doesn’t always work—you need experts to make sure the meaning stays the same and that people actually understand what they’re being asked.

ARFID is a real eating disorder that’s different from just being a picky eater. It can lead to serious nutrition problems and health issues. Doctors in Italy needed a reliable way to identify it in Italian patients. Without a proper screening tool in their language, doctors might miss the condition or confuse it with other eating problems. This tool helps ensure Italian patients get accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatment.

This study is relatively small (23 patients), which is typical for testing whether a translation works well. The research team included multiple types of experts, which strengthens the translation quality. The fact that patients found it easy to understand is a good sign. However, this is an early-stage study—larger studies would help confirm the tool works reliably over time and with different groups of Italian patients.

What the Results Show

The Italian translation of the NIAS screening tool was successfully created and tested. Patients who participated in the study reported that the Italian version was easy to understand and straightforward to complete. The translation maintained the meaning and intent of the original English version, as confirmed by the back-translation process where experts translated it back to English and compared it to the original.

The research team found that the Italian version could be used both in clinical settings (where doctors treat patients) and in research studies. This means the tool is now available for Italian-speaking healthcare providers to use when they suspect a patient might have ARFID.

The collaboration between psychiatrists, psychologists, and dietitians during the translation process helped ensure the tool was medically accurate and practical for real-world use. The online testing method made it easy for patients to complete the questionnaire. The study demonstrated that the translation process itself was thorough and followed best practices for adapting medical tools to new languages.

Similar screening tools have been translated into many languages (Spanish, French, German, and others), but Italy was missing an official Italian version. This research fills that gap. The translation methodology used here follows the same careful, multi-step approach that other researchers have used successfully for translating medical tools into different languages.

The study tested the tool with only 23 patients, which is a small number. A larger study would provide stronger evidence that the tool works well for all Italian patients. The study only tested whether people found it easy to understand—it didn’t yet test whether the tool accurately identifies who has ARFID versus who doesn’t. Future research should confirm that the Italian version works just as well as the English version at actually diagnosing the condition.

The Bottom Line

Healthcare providers in Italy should consider using this Italian NIAS tool when screening patients for possible ARFID. The tool appears reliable for identifying potential cases that need further evaluation. However, this screening tool is just a first step—a full diagnosis still requires evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider. Confidence level: Moderate (based on positive feedback from 23 patients, but larger studies would increase confidence).

This tool is most relevant for: Italian-speaking patients and their families concerned about severe, persistent picky eating; doctors, psychologists, and dietitians in Italy who work with eating disorders; researchers studying eating disorders in Italian populations. It’s less relevant for English speakers or people in non-Italian-speaking countries, though the methodology could help others translate the tool into their languages.

The screening tool itself takes just a few minutes to complete. If ARFID is identified, treatment typically takes weeks to months to show improvement, depending on the severity and the type of treatment used.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly food variety: Count how many different foods you eat each week and monitor whether this number increases over time. This directly relates to ARFID symptoms.
  • Use the app to log meals and note any anxiety or avoidance around new foods. Set small, achievable goals like trying one new food per week, then track progress.
  • Create a monthly report showing food variety trends, anxiety levels during meals, and nutritional intake. Share this data with your healthcare provider to monitor treatment progress and adjust strategies as needed.

This research describes a translation of a screening tool and does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment advice. ARFID is a serious eating disorder that requires professional evaluation and treatment by qualified healthcare providers. If you or someone you know shows signs of severe food restriction, anxiety around eating, or significant weight loss, please consult with a doctor, psychologist, or registered dietitian. This screening tool is meant to assist healthcare professionals in identifying potential cases—it is not a substitute for professional medical evaluation. Always seek personalized medical advice from qualified healthcare providers before making any changes to diet or treatment.