What is the hallmark of Rumination Disorder?

Rumination Disorder is characterized specifically by the regurgitation of food, which may occur with or without subsequent consumption of the regurgitated material. This behavior is not due to a medical condition but rather is a behavioral pattern that can occur in individuals, often within certain contexts. The food is usually brought back up after it has been swallowed, and the individual may then either spit it out or re-chew and swallow it again.

The defining feature of this disorder sets it apart from other eating disorders, where the focus might be on restrictive eating, binge eating, or attitudes towards weight or body image. In Rumination Disorder, the act of regurgitation is central to the diagnosis, thereby making it distinct and identifiable.