SCOFF Screening
Eating disorder test
This is the SCOFF — a short, well-known five-question screen for the core patterns behind anorexia and bulimia. It is deliberately brief and blunt. It cannot diagnose anything, but two or more ‘yes’ answers is the point at which a fuller, kind conversation with a professional is worth having.
Please answer honestly — your answers never leave this device:
SCOFF Your result
Your SCOFF score
0 / 5
What this means
Sensible next steps
Curious how reliable it is? See how accurate the SCOFF is.
By the numbers Context
How common is eating disorders?
Eating disorders are far more common than most people realise, and far more dangerous. An analysis for the Academy for Eating Disorders estimated that about 28.8 million Americans — roughly 9% of the population — will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime, and that eating disorders are linked to around 10,200 deaths each year, or one death roughly every 52 minutes. They carry among the highest mortality of any mental illness.
Despite this, only a minority of people affected ever receive treatment, partly because of the myth that eating disorders only affect underweight young women. They affect people of every gender, age, and body size. The SCOFF is deliberately short and blunt: two or more “yes” answers is simply the point at which a kind conversation with a professional is worth having — the earlier, the better.
28.8M
Americans who will have an eating disorder in their lifetime (~9%)
STRIPED/Deloitte
1 every 52 min
U.S. death linked to an eating disorder
STRIPED/Deloitte
≈85%
sensitivity of the SCOFF screen
Morgan, 1999
Sources: STRIPED (Harvard) / Deloitte Access Economics, Social and Economic Cost of Eating Disorders, 2020; Morgan, Reid & Lacey, BMJ, 1999.
Score guide Interpretation
What your SCOFF score means
| Score | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 0–1 | Below the screening threshold |
| 2–5 | Above the screening threshold |
Frequently asked questions
What are the warning signs of an eating disorder?
Signs include preoccupation with food, weight, or body shape; rigid rules or secrecy around eating; skipping meals or binge eating; feeling out of control with food; making yourself sick or over-exercising to compensate; and a self-worth heavily tied to weight. Physical signs and body size can look normal even when someone is very unwell.
What are the main types of eating disorders?
The most recognised are anorexia nervosa (restriction and intense fear of weight gain), bulimia nervosa (bingeing followed by purging), binge-eating disorder (recurrent bingeing without purging), and ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake, not driven by body image). Many people have serious symptoms that do not fit one box neatly.
What is ARFID?
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) is an eating disorder where someone severely limits what or how much they eat — often due to sensory issues, fear of choking or vomiting, or low interest in food — without the body-image concerns central to anorexia. The SCOFF is not designed to detect ARFID.
Is the SCOFF eating disorder test accurate?
The SCOFF is a well-known screen with good sensitivity for anorexia and bulimia. It is weaker for binge-eating disorder and ARFID, and it is deliberately blunt, so it produces false positives. A “positive” result means “worth assessing”, not “confirmed”.
Can this test diagnose an eating disorder?
No. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose an eating disorder. The SCOFF simply flags whether a fuller assessment is worthwhile.
Do eating disorders only affect women?
No. Men make up a substantial share of cases, and eating disorders affect people of every gender, age, race, and body size. The stereotype of a young, underweight woman keeps many others from being recognised and getting help.
Is the eating disorder test free and private?
Yes — free, no sign-up, and scored entirely in your browser, with nothing sent anywhere.