What the EAT-26 measures
The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) is the most widely used standardized self-report screening measure for eating disorders. It does not yield a formal clinical diagnosis, but it is highly effective at identifying individuals who harbor a pathological relationship with food, weight, and body image, prompting clinical referral.
The dimensions it assesses
- Dieting: Pathological avoidance of fattening foods and a preoccupation with being thinner.
- Bulimia and Food Preoccupation: Thoughts about food that dominate daily life, as well as binging and purging behaviors (vomiting).
- Oral Control: Self-control over eating and perceived pressure from others to gain weight or eat more.
Already have a EAT-26 score from somewhere else? Look it up without retaking the questionnaire.
What your score means
Scoring for items 1-25: Always = 3 points, Usually = 2 points, Often = 1 point, Sometimes/Rarely/Never = 0 points. Item 26 is reverse scored: Never = 3 points, Rarely = 2 points, Sometimes = 1 point. (Theoretical Range: 0 to 78)
| Score | Interpretation | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 19 | Below Clinical Threshold | Eating behaviors and attitudes generally fall within normative bounds. Minimal risk of an active eating disorder. |
| ≥ 20 | Clinically Elevated | High risk for an eating disorder (Anorexia, Bulimia, or Binge Eating Disorder). Behaviors regarding food are pathologically disrupting daily life. |
| Behavioral Flag | Immediate Risk | Any endorsement of vomiting, laxative use, or binge eating in the supplemental section warrants a clinical referral regardless of the numerical score. |
These ranges describe groups of people, not individuals. A score near a boundary is not meaningfully different from one just across it, and no range on this table is a diagnosis.
What to do with your result
- Clinical Referral: If the score is ≥ 20, or if purging behaviors are endorsed, immediate consultation with a physician, nutritionist, and mental health professional specializing in EDs is required.
- Reframing Health: Understand that eating disorders are frequently rooted in a desperate need for control (anxiety) rather than mere vanity. Therapy should focus on addressing the underlying trauma or anxiety, not just the food behaviors.
Common questions about the EAT-26
- What does the EAT-26 measure?
- Screening for symptoms and concerns characteristic of eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, EDNOS).
- Can the EAT-26 diagnose me?
- No. Eating Attitudes (EAT-26) is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnostic tool. It can flag that something may need a closer look. It cannot tell you what is causing it. Grief, burnout, a thyroid problem, medication side effects, chronic pain and months of bad sleep are not among its questions, and any of them can move a score. Telling those apart is what a professional assessment is for.
- What is considered a high score on the EAT-26?
- Scores of ≥ 20 fall in the range described as "Clinically Elevated", while 0 – 19 is described as "Below Clinical Threshold". Those labels describe bands of scores rather than people, and a score sitting one point either side of a boundary is not meaningfully different from one just across it.
- How long does the EAT-26 take?
- 26 questions, which most people finish in 5 – 10 minutes. There is no time limit, and answering honestly matters more than answering quickly. The results page checks for patterns suggesting the questions were rushed.
- Is this EAT-26 test really free?
- Yes. No account, no email address, no payment. Psychometrics Today is funded by donations rather than advertising, which is also what allows us to publish instruments whose authors permit free but non-commercial use.
- Are my answers stored or shared?
- No. Your answers are scored inside your browser and never sent to us. There is no database of responses, because we never receive any. Closing the tab erases them, which is why results cannot be recovered afterwards.
- How often should I retake the EAT-26?
- Most of these questionnaires ask about the past one to two weeks, so retaking sooner than that mostly measures the same period twice. Every two to four weeks is a reasonable rhythm if you are tracking change. A direction of travel over several weeks tells a doctor far more than any single score.
- How accurate is the EAT-26?
- Screening questionnaires are good at flagging that something merits attention and poor at establishing what it is. This one is sensitive to how you feel on the day you take it, and many instruments were validated on narrow populations whose cut-offs may not transfer cleanly to everyone. The references at the foot of this page are the primary sources.
Sources
Rights held by David Garner / EAT-26.com. Developed and validated by the researchers cited below.
- Garner, D. M., Olmsted, M. P., Bohr, Y., & Garfinkel, P. E. (1982). The Eating Attitudes Test: psychometric features and clinical correlates. Psychological Medicine, 12(4), 871-878.
Licensing
free-permitted. Permitted for free non-commercial screening with attribution retained.