Eating Attitudes Test - 26 Item (EAT-26)

Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) ©

Reproduced with the permission of the author. Please see the official EAT-26© website for further information regarding this test.

Introduction
The Eating Attitudes Test - 26 Item (EAT-26) is a widely recognized self-report questionnaire designed to screen for symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Originally derived from the 40-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), the EAT-26 was developed to improve the efficiency and applicability of the screening process in both clinical and non-clinical populations. The scale focuses on various aspects of eating behavior, such as dieting, bulimia, and food preoccupation, alongside oral control, which pertains to self-control over eating.

Composed of 26 items, the EAT-26 uses a 6-point scale ranging from “always” to “never” to assess individual responses. The structure of the questionnaire allows respondents to indicate the frequency with which they engage in specific behaviors and thought patterns associated with eating disorders. A higher total score suggests a greater level of concern related to eating attitudes and behaviors, where a threshold score of 20 or above typically necessitates a more comprehensive clinical evaluation.

The EAT-26 is not only utilized as a preliminary screening tool in clinical settings to identify individuals who may require further diagnostic assessment for eating disorders, but it is also employed extensively in research to investigate the prevalence and correlates of disordered eating behaviors across different populations and settings. Its ease of administration and established psychometric properties make the EAT-26 a practical choice for both large-scale epidemiological studies and routine clinical screening.

Instructions
Please fill out the form below as accurately, honestly and completely as possible. There are no right or wrong answers.

Part A: Body Mass Index

Part A is optional.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is of limited utility, especially for very short and very tall people. Enter your height and weight if you would like to have your BMI calculated.

Part B: Questions

  Always Usually Often Sometimes Rarely Never
1. I am terrified about being overweight.
2. I avoid eating when I am hungry.
3. I find myself preoccupied with food.
4. I have gone on eating binges where I feel that I may not be able to stop.
5. I cut my food into small pieces.
6. I aware of the calorie content of foods that I eat.
7. I particularly avoid food with a high carbohydrate content (i.e. bread, rice, potatoes, etc.)
8. I feel that others would prefer if I ate more.
9. I vomit after I have eaten.
10. I feel extremely guilty after eating.
11. I am occupied with a desire to be thinner.
12. I think about burning up calories when I exercise.
13. I other people think that I am too thin.
14. I am preoccupied with the thought of having fat on my body.
15. I take longer than others to eat my meals.
16. I avoid foods with sugar in them.
17. I eat diet foods.
18. I feel that food controls my life.
19. I display self-control around food.
20. I feel that others pressure me to eat.
21. I give too much time and thought to food.
22. I feel uncomfortable after eating sweets.
23. I engage in dieting behavior.
24. I like my stomach to be empty.
25. I have the impulse to vomit after meals.
26. I enjoy trying new rich foods.

Part C: Behaviors

  Never Once a month or less 2-3 times a month Once a week 2-6 times a week Once a day or more
A. Gone on eating binges where you feel that you may not be able to stop? (Defined as eating much more than most people would under the same circumstances and feeling that eating is out of control.)
B. Ever made yourself sick (vomited) to control your weight or shape?
C. Ever used laxatives, diet pills or diuretics (water pills) to control your weight or shape?
D. Exercised more than 60 minutes a day to lose or to control your weight?
  Yes No
E. Lost 20 pounds or more in the past 6 months?
F. Have you ever been treated for an eating disorder?
Sources
  1. DM Garner, PE Garfinkel. The Eating Attitudes Test: An Index of the Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa. 9 Psychological Medicine 273-279 (1979).
  2. DM Garner, et al. The Eating Attitudes Test: Psychometric Features and Clinical Correlates. 12 Psychological Medicine 871-878 (1982). (Introduced the 26 item version of the EAT.)