Why Intuitive Eating may not be suitable, and could even be harmful - for Neurodivergent Individuals

Firstly I want to say that Intuitive eating can be an incredibly helpful tool for many people. However, if you are going to use Intuitive eating with neurodivergent individuals, it must be modified, or it will likely cause harm.

Many of the core principles of Intuitive Eating—such as tuning into hunger and fullness cues, making peace with food, and challenging the food police—can feel confusing or inaccessible to neurodivergent individuals, especially those with interoception differences, ARFID, sensory aversions, or a history of food-related trauma. Expecting someone to “listen to their body” when their internal signals are muted, unreliable, or misinterpreted can lead to further frustration and self-doubt.

Additionally, the emphasis on unrestricted eating may not account for the very real sensory barriers that make certain foods feel impossible to eat. For those with ARFID or PDA profiles, even gentle pressure to explore new foods can feel threatening and result in shutdown or increased restriction.

Follow on below as I talk through some of the Intuitive Eating Principals.

Principle 2: Honor Your Hunger & Principle 5: Feel Your Fullness

Neurodivergent folk often experience challenges with interoceptive awareness due to varied sensory processing. Our unique neurological wiring can affect the recognition of internal cues, making it harder to sense hunger, fullness and thirst.

Principle 4: Discover the Satisfaction Factor

This perspective assumes that all individuals can easily identify and pursue pleasurable eating experiences. However many neurodivergent people have difficult relationships with food and some don’t enjoy or find pleasure in eating at all.

Additionally, the idea that pleasure alone can regulate food intake overlooks how executive functioning challenges, sensory processing differences or food trauma might disrupt one's ability to eat.

Principle 7: Cope with Your Emotions with Kindness

I firmly believe that neurodivergent individuals should be supported in eating for comfort, regulation and safety. This approach can be an essential part of coping with emotions through kindness and self-compassion.

Principle 9: Movement—Feel the Difference

Many Neurodivergent individuals struggle with co-occurring health conditions (e.g. EDS, POTS, GI issues) making movement feel uncomfortable or even painful. It’s important to acknowledge that movement for some, does not feel good or energising.

Principle 10: Honor Your Health—Gentle Nutrition

Neurodivergent individuals experience heightened sensory processing differences which can narrow food preferences and impact ability to eat, creating additional barriers to a diverse diet that intuitive eating often assumes is accessible.

A neuro-affirming approach to Intuitive Eating should be flexible, compassionate, and rooted in safety. It should validate that some bodies and brains experience eating differently—and that’s okay. The goal isn’t to force a neurotypical experience, but to support autonomy, trust, and nourishment in ways that genuinely work for the individual.

Written by Margo White, your Melbourne-based neurodiversity affirming clinical nutritionist and Neurodivergent advocate.

This article is intended as general advice only and does not replace medical advice. It is recommended that you seek personalised advice specific to your individual needs.