Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsProfessional ScreeningsLabs and TestsSelf/At-Home TestingEmerging Research
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Professional Screenings
Labs and Tests
Self/At-Home Testing
Emerging Research
Anorexia (also called anorexia nervosa) is a serious eating disorder involving dangerous weight loss or lack of appropriate weight gain, body image distortion, and anxiety surrounding food and eating.
Diagnostic tools exist to help determine if a person has anorexia, and aid in determining a treatment plan.
Biserka Stojanovic / Getty Images
In non-emergency situations, the process of diagnosinganorexiausually begins with an initial overall assessment from a healthcare provider.
During this assessment, the healthcare provider will take the person’s medical and psychiatric history, including their family history, and perform a full physical examination. This examination might include:
A primary healthcare provider may also make a referral to a mental health expert such as a psychiatrist. Eating and feeding disorders often exist alongside other mental health disorders.
DSM-5 Criteria
To meet the criteria for anorexia set out in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM–5), the following must be met over a period of at least three months:
In other words, a person:
In the past, the criteria for anorexia included the absence of a menstrual cycle. This has been removed as it excluded people who do not menstruate, and it made it difficult to evaluate children and young adolescents.
Anorexia diagnostic tools also focused in the past specifically on weight loss. Because children need to grow in order to maintain their health, the diagnosis of anorexia now includes not gaining weight developmentally appropriately.
Does Anorexia Always Mean Being Underweight?While the criteria for anorexia specify having a body weight that is too low for health, a person does not need to be underweight to have other eating or feeding disorders.
Does Anorexia Always Mean Being Underweight?
While the criteria for anorexia specify having a body weight that is too low for health, a person does not need to be underweight to have other eating or feeding disorders.
Tests may be performed to rule out other health conditions that could be causing weight loss and other symptoms, or to check for problems that may have arisen as a result of anorexia.
These may include:
Blood Tests
Urinalysis
Certain metabolic functions can be measured with a urine test.
Urinalysisalso looks at the color and appearance of the urine, its microscopic appearance, and its chemistry.
Other Tests and Procedures
A bone density test may be administered to check forosteoporosis.
Anelectrocardiogram (ECG)may be ordered to check for problems with the heart such as slow heart rate or abnormal heart rhythm.
X-raysmay be taken to check things like stress fractures or broken bones, lung or heart problems.
Questionnaires, such as the SCOFF Questionnaire for adults, are typically used for screening for eating disorders during routine health exams and sports physicals, and may be a helpful tool for self-assessment.
The SCOFF Questionnaire for Eating Disorders in AdultsDo you make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?Have you recently lost more than 14 pounds in a three-month period?Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?Would you say that food dominates your life?One point is given for every “yes” answer. A score of two or higher indicates a likelihood of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and that the person should see a healthcare provider for further steps.
The SCOFF Questionnaire for Eating Disorders in Adults
Do you make yourself sick because you feel uncomfortably full?Do you worry you have lost control over how much you eat?Have you recently lost more than 14 pounds in a three-month period?Do you believe yourself to be fat when others say you are too thin?Would you say that food dominates your life?One point is given for every “yes” answer. A score of two or higher indicates a likelihood of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and that the person should see a healthcare provider for further steps.
One point is given for every “yes” answer. A score of two or higher indicates a likelihood of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and that the person should see a healthcare provider for further steps.
A 2018 study indicates that there may be gender differences in the presentation and diagnosis of anorexia andbulimia, specifically as it refers to the severity indicators in the DSM-5. This study also showed that the severity indicators in the DSM-5 for anorexia may not give an accurate measurement for males or females.
A 2017 study supports the need for more research on the accuracy and validity of the severity measures indicated in the DSM-5.
A study done in 2017 suggests that more measures are needed to distinguish between constitutional thinness and anorexia, particularly since the removal of amenorrhea (lack of a menstrual period) from the DSM criteria for anorexia. This study recommends the use of testing forfree T3levels in addition to the existing criteria.
ResourcesIf you or someone you know is struggling with eating disorders or body image issues, you can reach out to theNational Alliance for Eating DisordersHelpline at 1-866-662-1235. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST and offers emotional support, education, and assistance finding eating disorder treatment and care.
Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with eating disorders or body image issues, you can reach out to theNational Alliance for Eating DisordersHelpline at 1-866-662-1235. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST and offers emotional support, education, and assistance finding eating disorder treatment and care.
A Word From Verywell
It can often be difficult for a person who is experiencing anorexia to recognize that they have a health problem. Diagnostic tools such as screening tests, physical and psychological examinations, and other health procedures can help determine if you or someone you love is experiencing disordered eating such as anorexia.
Once the condition has been recognized, there are ways to help, and recovery is possible.
Refeeding Syndrome: What You Need to Know
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cleveland Clinic.Anorexia nervosa.
Walden Behavioral Care.Anorexia diagnosis.
Peterson K, Fuller R.Anorexia nervosa in adolescents: an overview.Nursing. 2019;49(10):24-30. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000580640.43071.15
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-5 changes: implications for child serious emotional disturbance, Table 19, DSM-IV to DSM-5 anorexia nervosa comparison.
National Eating Disorder Information Centre.Anorexia nervosa.
Marion M, Lacroix S, Caquard M, et al.Earlier diagnosis in anorexia nervosa: better watch growth charts!J Eat Disord. 2020;8(1):42. doi:10.1186/s40337-020-00321-4
MedlinePlus.Anorexia.
Morgan JF, Reid F, Lacey JH.The SCOFF questionnaire: a new screening tool for eating disorders.West J Med. 2000;172(3):164-165. doi:10.1136/ewjm.172.3.164
Zayas LV, Wang SB, Coniglio K, et al.Gender differences in eating disorder psychopathology across DSM-5 severity categories of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.Intl J Eat Disord. 2018;51(9):1098-1102. doi:10.1002/eat.22739
Estour B, Marouani N, Sigaud T, et al.Differentiating constitutional thinness from anorexia nervosa in DSM 5 era.Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2017;84:94-100. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.06.015
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
