Eating disorders can affect anyone
Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and others, affect people of every age, gender, body size, and background. Many people with an eating disorder are not underweight.
They often start as dieting or wanting more control and slowly take over thoughts and routines. Recovery is possible, and it's usually faster the earlier support starts.
About this self-check
The five questions are the SCOFF, a short screener doctors use to decide whether to ask more about eating. It looks for the most common signs of anorexia and bulimia, and may miss others, like binge eating disorder or ARFID.
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The questions
Five yes-or-no questions about eating, weight, and how you see your body.
- Do you make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?
- Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?
- Have you recently lost more than 14 pounds (6.35 kg) in a 3-month period?
- Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?
- Would you say that food dominates your life?
Common questions
What if I'm not underweight?
You can still have an eating disorder, and it can still be serious. Weight is only one sign; how much food and your body affect your thoughts and life matters just as much.
What does treatment involve?
Usually a team: a therapist (family-based treatment is often used for teens), a doctor to check physical health, and a dietitian. Many people recover fully.
I'm worried about someone else. What can I do?
Pick a calm, private moment, talk about specific things you've noticed with care rather than blame, and avoid comments about weight or appearance. Offer to help them find support. If they're a minor, involve their parents or another trusted adult.
SCOFF questionnaire. Morgan, J.F., Reid, F., and Lacey, J.H. (1999). The SCOFF questionnaire: assessment of a new screening tool for eating disorders. BMJ 319:1467–1468. U.S. weight wording. Used for screening only; not a diagnosis.
