Anorexia is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss, while bulimia nervosa is marked by a secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging using vomiting, laxatives or diuretics.
The London doctors tested the questionnaire on over 200 women, about half of whom suffered from an eating disorder. The quiz picked up 100 percent of anorexia and bulimia cases. While the questionnaire also indicated that some women suffered from a problem when they did not, the researchers said the false positive rate was an \"acceptable trade off.\"
Take our interactive quiz to see how you might score on the SCOFF test. If you have a positive result or think you suffer from an eating problem, check with your doctor. ",""); eating_disorders.sDeckStyle = "font-weight:none;"; eating_disorders.headHeight = 40; eating_disorders.copyBorder = 0; eating_disorders[1] = new Array(); eating_disorders[1][0] = new Array("Do you make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?"); eating_disorders[1][1] = new Array("Yes",'',1); eating_disorders[1][2] = new Array("No",'',0); eating_disorders[2] = new Array(); eating_disorders[2][0] = new Array("Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?"); eating_disorders[2][1] = new Array("Yes",'',1); eating_disorders[2][2] = new Array("No",'',0); eating_disorders[3] = new Array(); eating_disorders[3][0] = new Array("Have you recently lost more than One stone (14 pounds) in a three-month period?"); eating_disorders[3][1] = new Array("Yes",'',1); eating_disorders[3][2] = new Array("No",'',0); eating_disorders[4] = new Array(); eating_disorders[4][0] = new Array("Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?"); eating_disorders[4][1] = new Array("Yes",'',1); eating_disorders[4][2] = new Array("No",'',0); eating_disorders[5] = new Array(); eating_disorders[5][0] = new Array("Would you say that food dominates your life?"); eating_disorders[5][1] = new Array("Yes",'',1); eating_disorders[5][2] = new Array("No",'',0); eating_disorders.profiles = new Array();var i=0; eating_disorders.profiles[i++]= new Array(2,5,"Because you answered 'yes' to two or more questions, the survey's authors suggest you may be at risk for an eating disorder -- anorexia or bulimia.
The SCOFF questionnaire can be effective as a screening instrument for detecting eating disorders; keep in mind that it is designed to raise suspicion of a likely case, rather than to diagnose. This is not a substitute for a visit with a qualified health professional.
Source: British Medical Journal
© St George's Hospital Medical School, 1999
For more information on eating disorders:
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders [ANAD]");
eating_disorders.profiles[i++]= new Array(0,1,"You are not at risk for an eating disorder.
The survey's authors suggest that two or more positive answers denote a possible case of an eating disorder -- anorexia or bulimia.
The SCOFF questionnaire can be effective as a screening instrument for detecting eating disorders; keep in mind that it is designed to raise suspicion of a likely case, rather than to diagnose. This is not a substitute for a visit with a qualified health professional.
Source: British Medical Journal
© St George's Hospital Medical School, 1999
For more information on eating disorders:
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders [ANAD]");
// END editorial data