The SCOFF questionnaire uses an acronym to refer to the five main points addressed in the test, designed for use by non-professionals, to assess the possible presence of an eating disorder. The SCOFF was developed in 1999, by Morgan et al., in England. The objective of the authors was to develop a reliable, simple, and rapid scale allowing the identification of subjects at risk and suffering from eating disorders, for screening and epidemiological use. The SCOFF questionnaire has been tested and validated in a population of patients with eating disorders and a control group. This study showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 87.5%. These results were subsequently confirmed in general and school medicine. The SCOFF has been adopted as a standard screening instrument in the UK.
If you answered "yes" to at least two of the questions above, you should schedule an appointment for an evaluation with an eating disorder professional, such as a therapist, dietician, or doctor. A professional can determine if you do indeed have anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or other eating disorders. You can also get more information on eating disorders.