HappyFoods is a food diary to track and self-motivate to try new foods.
Designed for young people with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
The app guides the user through a process called ‘systematic desensitisation’, providing low pressure encouragement to try new foods and keep track of progress. It has some built in activities to reduce anxiety around food. We are working on expanding this, and bringing in prompts for food chaining.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder is an eating disorder where sufferers substantially restrict their diet, without motivation to lose weight.
It can be rooted in autistic sensory sensitivity or rigid behaviour patterns. For others, it can stem from a traumatic food experience (e.g. choking or allergies), or anxiety..
It is not a healthy way to be – not just the risk of nutritional deficiencies, but also missing out on the social and emotional benefits of sharing food with others. Sufferers often struggle to access appropriate treatment.
WHAT IS ARFID?
How the app works
Aim is to try 9 new foods a week. You can log tried foods, set targets and share progress with a super-simple interface that will support whatever you are doing to expand your range of foods. No pressure, no obsessiveness – just a cute little cheerleader in your pocket for every little step of progress you make. Please drop me a line if you would like more in-depth information.
App screenshots
Developer Information
Development team is 1 person…. and everyone else who chips in with ideas and testing and support! Mission is to harness the best of modern technology to support kids and young adults with autism and related disorders. The future is now – we deserve a slice of it. Drop me a line for a chat.
SALT for my Squid 