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Eating Disorders · 5 min · 26 questions

EAT-26: Eating Attitudes Test

Twenty-six statements about eating attitudes and behaviours. About 5 minutes.

Medical disclaimer: this is a validated screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic test. Only a qualified health professional can diagnose a condition. Your answers are processed in your browser and are never sent or stored.

EAT-26: 0 of 26 answeredScore: 0 / 78 · Below cut-point

Please respond to each of the following statements.

  1. 1.Am terrified about being overweight
  2. 2.Avoid eating when I am hungry
  3. 3.Find myself preoccupied with food
  4. 4.Have gone on eating binges where I feel that I may not be able to stop
  5. 5.Cut my food into small pieces
  6. 6.Aware of the calorie content of foods that I eat
  7. 7.Particularly avoid food with a high carbohydrate content (bread, rice, potatoes, etc.)
  8. 8.Feel that others would prefer if I ate more
  9. 9.Vomit after I have eaten
  10. 10.Feel extremely guilty after eating
  11. 11.Am preoccupied with a desire to be thinner
  12. 12.Think about burning up calories when I exercise
  13. 13.Other people think that I am too thin
  14. 14.Am preoccupied with the thought of having fat on my body
  15. 15.Take longer than others to eat my meals
  16. 16.Avoid foods with sugar in them
  17. 17.Eat diet foods
  18. 18.Feel that food controls my life
  19. 19.Display self-control around food
  20. 20.Feel that others pressure me to eat
  21. 21.Give too much time and thought to food
  22. 22.Feel uncomfortable after eating sweets
  23. 23.Engage in dieting behavior
  24. 24.Like my stomach to be empty
  25. 25.Have the impulse to vomit after meals
  26. 26.Enjoy trying new rich foods

EAT-26 result

Answer all 26 questions for a complete result. Current partial score shown.

0
out of 78
Below cut-point
Range 0–19

Your responses are below the usual cut-point of 20 for a high level of eating-disorder concern.

Recommended next steps

  • No action typically indicated.
  • If eating or body image worries you, raise it with a doctor.

Answer the remaining questions to enable the report:

  • EAT-26:

Screening result only, not a diagnosis. Share it with a doctor or therapist.

EAT-26 scoring guide

ScoreInterpretationSuggested action
0–19Below cut-pointNo action typically indicated.
20–78High concernSpeak with a doctor or an eating-disorder specialist.

Clinical background

What it measures

The EAT-26 measures attitudes and behaviours related to eating, dieting and body weight. It is one of the most widely used screening measures for eating disorders in research and clinical settings.

How it is scored

Items are scored 0–3 (Always = 3, Usually = 2, Often = 1, the rest 0; the final item is reverse-scored) for a total of 0–78. A score of 20 or more indicates a high level of concern (Garner et al., 1982). The EAT-26 does not yield a diagnosis.

Reference: Garner DM, Olmsted MP, Bohr Y, Garfinkel PE. The Eating Attitudes Test: psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychol Med. 1982;12(4):871–878.