Eating Disorder Test – Check Your Relationship with Food

This screening tool is designed for anyone concerned about their eating behaviors or body image and can help identify symptoms of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Taking just 5-10 minutes to complete, this assessment is based on validated screening tools including the SCOFF questionnaire, widely used by healthcare professionals. Your responses are completely anonymous and confidential. What are eating disorders? Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions involving unhealthy relationships with food, eating, body weight, and body image. They affect people of all ages, genders, races, and backgrounds, and are not a choice or lifestyle preference but treatable medical conditions.

Important Disclaimer:

This is a screening tool only, not a diagnosis. Eating disorders are treatable with proper support from specialized healthcare providers. Please discuss your results with your primary care doctor or an eating disorder specialist. If you’re experiencing a medical emergency such as chest pain, fainting, or severe weakness, seek immediate help by calling 911. All responses are anonymous and confidential.

Understanding Eating Disorders

Types of Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa:

• Severely restricting food intake leading to significant weight loss or failure to gain expected weight
• Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat
• Distorted body image and inability to see one’s body accurately
• Viewing oneself as overweight despite being underweight or at a dangerously low weight

Bulimia Nervosa:

• Recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by compensatory behaviors (purging)
• Purging through self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, or excessive exercise
• Feeling out of control during binge episodes
• Self-worth and self-esteem heavily influenced by body shape and weight

Binge Eating Disorder:

• Regular episodes of eating unusually large amounts of food in a short period
• Feeling out of control while eating and unable to stop
• Eating when not physically hungry or eating until uncomfortably or painfully full
• Feeling guilty, ashamed, disgusted, or distressed afterwards, but without regular purging behaviors

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED):

• Eating disorder symptoms that don’t fit neatly into other diagnostic categories
• Can be just as serious as other eating disorders and require professional treatment
• Includes atypical anorexia, purging disorder, and night eating syndrome

Warning Signs

Common warning signs include preoccupation with weight, food, calories, or body shape; strict dieting, food rituals, or cutting food into tiny pieces; avoiding eating with others or making excuses to skip meals; excessive exercise, especially feeling distressed if unable to exercise; frequent trips to the bathroom immediately after eating; and using diet pills, laxatives, diuretics, or other weight-loss supplements.

The Screening Test

Instructions

To complete this screening accurately, answer honestly about your experiences and behaviors with food, eating, and your body. Think about the past few months and your typical patterns. Choose the answer that best describes your experience. There are no right or wrong answers. All questions should be answered for accurate results. This screening includes questions about eating behaviors, body image, and control over eating. If any questions feel difficult or triggering, take your time or take a break.

Part 1: SCOFF Questions (5 Core Questions)

These five questions screen for key features of eating disorders:

Part 2: Extended Assessment Questions

Body Image and Weight Concerns

Eating Behaviors

Compensatory Behaviors

Binge Eating

Results & Interpretation

How Scoring Works

SCOFF Questions (Questions 1-5):

• 2 or more “Yes” answers suggests a possible eating disorder
• This tool has high sensitivity for detecting anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Extended Assessment: The additional questions help identify:

• Severity of eating and body image concerns
• Specific eating disorder symptoms and behaviors
• Impact on daily life and functioning
• Whether you need professional evaluation and treatment

If You Scored High Risk (2+ on SCOFF or Many Concerning Answers)

What this means: Your responses suggest symptoms consistent with an eating disorder. This is a serious but highly treatable medical condition that requires professional support. Eating disorders have serious physical and psychological consequences, but recovery is absolutely possible with proper treatment.

Next steps:

• Book an appointment with your primary care doctor or pediatrician as soon as possible
• Be completely honest about your eating behaviors, weight loss methods, and concerns
• Request a referral to an eating disorder specialist or treatment program
• Consider contacting the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helpline at 1-800-931-2237 for support, information, and treatment referrals
• If you have health insurance, contact them about eating disorder treatment coverage

Important to know:

• Eating disorders are mental health conditions with biological components, not choices or phases
• Early intervention significantly improves outcomes and speeds recovery
• Treatment works—full recovery is possible with specialized care
• You deserve support and don’t have to struggle alone

Medical concerns to watch for—seek urgent medical attention if you experience:

• Rapid or significant weight loss
• Fainting, dizziness, or loss of consciousness
• Irregular heartbeat or chest pain
• Extreme weakness or inability to function
• Severe dehydration or electrolyte imbalances

If You Scored Moderate Concern

What this means: You’re showing some warning signs or unhealthy patterns with food and body image, though they may not yet meet full criteria for a diagnosed eating disorder. However, these concerns are valid and worth addressing before they potentially worsen.

Next steps:

• Speak to your primary care doctor about your concerns
• Consider counseling or therapy to address body image issues and develop healthier coping strategies
• Monitor whether symptoms worsen or begin interfering more with your life
• Learn and practice healthy coping strategies that don’t involve food or weight control
• Contact NEDA for information, resources, and support

Prevention matters: Addressing concerns early can prevent the development of a full eating disorder. Research shows that early intervention leads to better outcomes. Don’t wait until things get significantly worse to seek help—you deserve support now.

If You Scored Lower Risk

What this means: Your responses don’t strongly suggest an eating disorder at this time. However, if you have ongoing concerns about your relationship with food, your body image, or your eating patterns, it’s still worth speaking to a healthcare provider or therapist.

Remember:

• Everyone has occasional negative body thoughts—this is unfortunately common in our culture
• Diet culture affects most people and can create unhealthy relationships with food
• If you’re worried or feel something isn’t right, trust your instincts and seek professional advice
• Prevention and early support are valuable, even if you don’t have a diagnosable condition

Getting Help & Treatment

Treatment Options

Eating disorders are treatable medical conditions. With proper specialized care, full recovery is possible. Effective treatments include:

Therapy:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-ED): Specifically addresses distorted thoughts and behaviors around eating, body image, and weight
• Family-Based Treatment (FBT/Maudsley Method): Especially effective for adolescents and young adults, involving family in the recovery process
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Helps with emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
• Interpersonal therapy (IPT): Addresses relationship patterns and life transitions that may contribute to the eating disorder

Medical care:

• Regular monitoring of physical health, vital signs, and lab work
• Nutritional rehabilitation to restore healthy eating patterns
• Treating medical complications such as electrolyte imbalances, heart problems, or bone loss
• Weight restoration if needed, done gradually under medical supervision

Nutritional support:

• Registered dietitian specializing in eating disorders who understands the psychological aspects
• Meal planning, nutrition education, and guidance on normal eating
• Learning to eat intuitively and rebuilding a healthy relationship with food

Medication:

• Antidepressants (particularly SSRIs) may help alongside therapy, especially for bulimia and co-occurring conditions
• Treatment of co-occurring mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or OCD

Support levels:

• Outpatient therapy: Most common level of care with weekly appointments
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOP): Several hours per day, several days per week
• Partial hospitalization programs (PHP): Full-day treatment while living at home
• Residential treatment programs: 24-hour care in a specialized facility
• Inpatient hospitalization: For medical stabilization in severe cases

Finding Help in the United States

Your primary care doctor: First step for medical assessment and referrals to eating disorder specialists. They can also monitor your physical health during treatment.

Eating Disorder Treatment Centers: Specialized facilities offering various levels of care from outpatient to residential treatment.

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA):

• Helpline: 1-800-931-2237 (Monday-Thursday 9am-9pm ET, Friday 9am-5pm ET)
• Crisis Text Line: Text “NEDA” to 741741 (24/7 support)
• Online screening tools and treatment provider database
• Information, resources, and support groups
• Help navigating insurance and finding treatment

Additional Resources:

• National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD): 1-888-375-7767 – Free peer support groups
• The Emily Program: Multi-state eating disorder treatment provider
• Eating Disorder Hope: Treatment center directory and resources
• Project HEAL: Helps with treatment access and funding

Insurance Coverage: The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires most health insurance plans to cover eating disorder treatment similarly to other medical conditions. Medicaid covers eating disorder treatment in all states. Contact your insurance provider to understand your specific coverage, pre-authorization requirements, and in-network providers.

If you don’t have insurance: Community mental health centers, university training clinics, and some nonprofit organizations offer sliding-scale services. NEDA can help connect you with affordable options.

For Family & Friends

Supporting Someone with an Eating Disorder

How to help:

• Express concern from a place of love without judgment or criticism
• Avoid commenting on their appearance, weight, or body—even positive comments can be triggering
• Don’t police their eating or watch what they eat—this can increase anxiety and shame
• Encourage professional help and offer to help find treatment or attend appointments
• Be patient—recovery takes time, often years, and isn’t a straight line
• Learn about eating disorders to better understand what they’re experiencing
• Look after your own wellbeing and mental health—you can’t pour from an empty cup

What to avoid saying:

• “Just eat” or “Why don’t you just stop?”—eating disorders aren’t choices
• “You look healthy/fine”—they may interpret this as “you look fat”
• “At least you don’t have [another type of eating disorder]”—all eating disorders are serious
• Making comments about anyone’s body, food choices, or weight—even others
• Complimenting weight loss or commenting on appearance changes

Getting support for yourself:

• NEDA Parent, Family & Friends Network for guidance and peer support
• Support groups for families affected by eating disorders
• Individual or family therapy to process your own feelings and stress
• Education about eating disorders through books, websites, and workshops

Urgent concerns: If the person’s health is deteriorating rapidly, they’re refusing all help, showing signs of medical crisis, or you believe they’re in immediate danger, take them to the emergency room or call 911. Don’t wait for permission—eating disorders can be life-threatening.

Medical Complications

Physical Effects of Eating Disorders

Eating disorders can cause serious, sometimes life-threatening medical complications affecting nearly every organ system:

Anorexia Nervosa:

• Severe bone loss (osteoporosis and osteopenia), often irreversible
• Dangerous heart problems including slow heart rate and potential cardiac arrest
• Low blood pressure and poor circulation
• Kidney problems and kidney failure
• Anemia and other blood cell abnormalities
• Loss of menstrual periods and fertility problems

Bulimia Nervosa:

• Severe tooth decay and enamel erosion from stomach acid
• Electrolyte imbalances that can cause heart attack or stroke
• Irregular heart rhythms
• Digestive issues including constipation and acid reflux
• Swollen salivary glands (“chipmunk cheeks”)
• Esophageal tears from frequent vomiting

Binge Eating Disorder:

• Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
• High blood pressure and high cholesterol
• Heart disease and stroke risk
• Joint problems and mobility issues from excess weight
• Sleep apnea and breathing problems

All eating disorder types can cause:

• Extreme fatigue and weakness
• Difficulty concentrating and memory problems
• Depression, anxiety, and mood disorders
• Social isolation and relationship problems
• In severe cases, brain damage or death

Good news: Early treatment prevents many of these complications. Many physical effects can improve significantly or even reverse completely with nutritional rehabilitation and sustained recovery. However, some complications (like bone loss) may be permanent, which is why early intervention is crucial.

Scientific Source & Disclaimer

This screening is based on:

• SCOFF Questionnaire (Morgan et al., 1999) – validated screening tool for eating disorders
• Additional questions based on DSM-5 eating disorder diagnostic criteria

Reference: Morgan, J.F., Reid, F., & Lacey, J.H. (1999). The SCOFF questionnaire: Assessment of a new screening tool for eating disorders. BMJ, 319(7223), 1467-1468.Important disclaimer: This online screening tool is not a diagnostic instrument. It provides guidance only and cannot replace professional medical evaluation by an eating disorder specialist, psychiatrist, or qualified healthcare provider. Eating disorders are serious medical conditions requiring expert treatment from a multidisciplinary team. If you’re experiencing medical complications, chest pain, fainting, severe weakness, or any crisis situation, seek immediate help by calling 911 or going to your nearest emergency room. Recovery is possible with proper specialized treatment. This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. We do not store or collect personal health information, ensuring your privacy is protected in accordance with HIPAA regulations and applicable privacy laws.