Objective To compare the clinical presentation of children with anorexia nervosa (AN group) with that of children with low‐weight food intake disorder without weight and shape‐related psychopathology (non‐AN group). Method Medical and psychiatric data were obtained from the case records of a consecutive series of 102 children with an eating disorder and a pronounced low weight who were below the age of 13 at the start of treatment. Results Fifty‐eight patients constituted the AN group, and 44 constituted the non‐AN group. The non‐AN group was younger and had a longer duration of symptoms than the AN group. The non‐AN group also had a lower maximum premorbid weight and shorter stature. There were no differences in medical severity, but the AN group had more psychiatric treatment. Discussion The non‐AN group seems to have a medically equally severe disorder as the AN group, but is less often detected and properly treated. Copyright © 2016 The Authors European Eating Disorders Review published by Eating Disorders Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd