Counseling Center

Do You Have and Eating Disorder?

 

The following questionnaire will give you an indication of whether or not you are living a lifestyle that indicates anorexic and/or bulimic tendencies.  Answer the following questions honestly.  Write the number of your answer in the space at the left.

 

____1.  I have eating habits that are different from those of my family and friends.

1) Often     2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____2.  I find myself panicking if I cannot exercise as I had planned for fear of gaining weight.

1) Often      2) Sometimes     3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____3.  My friends tell me I am thin but I don't believe them because I feel fat.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____4.  (Females)  My menstrual period has ceased or become irregular due to no known

medical  reasons.

1) True      2) False

 

____5. I have become obsessed with food to the point that I cannot go through a day without worrying about what I will or will not eat.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____6.  I have lost more than 15 percent of the normal weight for my height (e.g., 30 lbs. from 120 lbs.)

1) True      2)False

 

____7.  I would panic if I got on the scale tomorrow and found out I had gained two pounds.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____8.  I find that I prefer to eat alone or when I am sure no one will see me, thus I am making excuses so I can eat less and less with friends.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____9.  I find myself going on uncontrollable eating binges during which I consume large amounts of food to the point that I feel sick and make myself vomit.

1) 3 or more times a day  2) 1-2 times per day  3) 1-2 times per week  4)Rarely  5) Never

 

____10.  I use laxatives as a means of weight control.

1) Almost always      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____11.  I find myself playing games with food (e.g. cutting it up into tiny pieces, hiding food so

people will think I ate it, chewing it and spitting it out without swallowing) and telling myself certain foods are bad.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____12.  People around me have become very interest in what I eat and I find myself getting angry at them for pushing food on me.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

____13.  I have felt more depressed and irritable recently than I used to and/or have been spending increasing amounts of time alone.

1) True      2) False

 

____14.  I keep a lot of my fears about food and eating to myself because I am afraid no one would understand.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____15.  I enjoy making gourmet, high-calorie meals or treats for others as long as I don't have to eat any myself.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____16.  The most powerful fear in my life is the fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____17.  I find myself totally absorbed when reading books about dieting, exercising, and calorie counting to the point that I spend hours studying them.

1) Often      2) Sometimes      3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____18.  I tend to be a perfectionist and am not satisfied with myself unless I do things perfectly.

1) Almost always      2) Sometimes       3) Rarely       4) Never

 

____19.  I go through long periods of time without eating anything (fasting) as a means of weight control.

1) Often     2) Sometimes     3) Rarely      4) Never

 

____20.  It is important to me to try to be thinner than all of my friends.

1) Almost always      2) Sometimes       3) Rarely      4) Never

 

Add your scores together and compare with the table below:   Under 30 - Strong tendencies toward anorexia nervosa   30-45 - Strong tendencies toward bulimia   45-55 - Weight conscious, not necessarily with anorexic or bulimic tendencies   Over 55 - No need for concern   If you scored below 45, it would be wise for you to seek out some kind of help or assistance.

 

Courtesy of Center For Change, Orem, Utah