The disorder next door

Are you at risk for disordered eating?
Your score: 17
16 to 21 points:
You are at moderate risk for becoming a disordered eater, or could even have an eating disorder. The problem is that your fixation on size and weight can rule your mood, taking you from joyful to dejected in the time it takes to step on the scale or into your jeans. It can also lead you to make not-so-rational decisions about what to feed—or withhold—from your body, so you may be low in key nutrients and tired all the time.

To become healthier, first decide that you will base your choice of foods on one thing only: nutrient value. Don't count or obsess over calories or shun all carbohydrates; doing so feeds an unhealthy on/off diet mentality, and that's what you need to free yourself from. If you're hungry, eat something good for you (it has fiber or lean protein, or it comes from the ground or off a tree). If you're not hungry or something isn't good for you (it's highly processed, not made with real, whole food, or has a ton of added sugar or chemicals), pass it up. And if you do scarf a cupcake, forget about it—in the grand scheme of your life and diet, a few extra calories now and then don't amount to much unless eating them causes you to binge or severely restrict in response.

Second, make a conscious decision not to judge yourself negatively based on your weight or your shape. The minute you catch yourself thinking, Ugh, I'm fat! replace that thought with a positive one about your appearance: I love the way my eyes match my shirt. Soon, the little "I love me's" will become second nature, improving your self-esteem and making you more likely to want to take good care of yourself with nutritious, tasty food. Eating healthy and working out because you appreciate yourself is a more satisfying (and ultimately successful) approach than punishing yourself with a drastic diet. Retake the quiz again in a month—chances are, you'll have lowered your risk



The scary thing is that this is now whith my new healthy eating regime. I answered it as i would have about 2 years ago and my score was 33!!!!!! :noway:

I scored a 24...yikes:noway:

MY SCORE: 13

I was ok with that score but it's funny how some of those questions make you feel a little uncomfortable. The scale question (how many times daily) and the exercise question (guilt feelings if you miss a day) really hits home with me. I think anyone who is trying to lose weight though and fills out this survey honestly would probably score in the 11-15 range. How could you not? Scale, exercise, counting calories....you know?!

Are you at risk for disordered eating?
Your score: 33
22 points or higher:
You are at a high risk for being a disordered eater. This is a wake-up call and an opportunity to improve the quality of your life. You are likely harming yourself physically, by engaging in extreme behaviors such as meal skipping or laxative use, and emotionally: The intense and all-consuming spotlight you shine on your physical being robs you of time and energy to focus on other important areas of your life, including building relationships and achieving goals, and it prevents you from enjoying the simple pleasure of a meal with friends. You need to make a commitment to your health and well-being, starting with a vow to feed yourself nutritious foods at least three times a day, and to give up extreme diets and other risky habits. If this is difficult or upsetting to think about, you may be consciously or subconsciously using food and weight as a way to avoid dealing with deeper, emotional issues. In this case, consider pairing up with an expert—a therapist and/or a nutritionist—who can help you explore the causes of your behavior and ultimately develop a positive relationship with food. And consider this: Disordered eating is a risk factor for developing a formal eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. The sooner you intervene, the more successful treatment can be. For referrals to specialists in eating issues in your area, go to the Academy for Eating Disorders or National Eating Disorders Association website

I was an abnormal/clinical Psych major in college, and will most likely be going back for my masters/PhD when I can afford it. An important thing to remember is that you can't really say whether or not you have a disorder unless you meet the criteria under the DSM-IVTR (I believe that's the current edition). I wouldn't let a magazine survey spook you too much. If you're truly concerned most of the diagnostic codes and their requirements are listed online for free.

Not saying this isn't a good survey, I'm just skeptic

Are you at risk for disordered eating?
Your score: 6
0 to 9 points:
You are at a low risk for being a disordered eater, valuing healthy eating and exercise because they make you feel good. But you keep everything in balance; maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn't keep you from pursuing other goals. You probably draw self-esteem from a variety of resources in your life, including work, meaningful relationships with friends and family, and other personal accomplishments—and not the size of your clothing. Sure, you enjoy looking your best (who doesn't?), but appearance is something you take pride in rather than obsess about. Continue to focus on the happy dividends of a healthy lifestyle and you'll have the energy you need to tick off every item on your dream to do list. Make eating nutritiously even more enjoyable with SELF's database of light, delicious recipes.

I never thought I would have fit into this category. It's nice to see my score so low.

Your score: 24
22 points or higher:
You are at a high risk for being a disordered eater. This is a wake-up call and an opportunity to improve the quality of your life. You are likely harming yourself physically, by engaging in extreme behaviors such as meal skipping or laxative use, and emotionally: The intense and all-consuming spotlight you shine on your physical being robs you of time and energy to focus on other important areas of your life, including building relationships and achieving goals, and it prevents you from enjoying the simple pleasure of a meal with friends. You need to make a commitment to your health and well-being, starting with a vow to feed yourself nutritious foods at least three times a day, and to give up extreme diets and other risky habits. If this is difficult or upsetting to think about, you may be consciously or subconsciously using food and weight as a way to avoid dealing with deeper, emotional issues. In this case, consider pairing up with an expert—a therapist and/or a nutritionist—who can help you explore the causes of your behavior and ultimately develop a positive relationship with food. And consider this: Disordered eating is a risk factor for developing a formal eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. The sooner you intervene, the more successful treatment can be. For referrals to specialists in eating issues in your area, go to the Academy for Eating Disorders or National Eating Disorders Association website.

I scored a 20.

But I disagree that I am at risk for disordered eating. Some of the questions asked if I have EVER done weird diet things, not that I am doing them now. Also, I answered "no" to a lot of the questions, and I weigh myself once a week only because I am really focused on losing weight (I am currently considered obese.)

I wouldn't worry too much because I do allow myself to have desert, break the rules, don't exercise obsessively etc. Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be as big as I am! :laugh:

Interesting!! I scored 11.

I also clicked the link to see how my answers impacted my score. Very interesting - as weighing 1x per week was worth 0 points. Also, cutting out food groups was worth 1 pt where as smoking to stay thin was worth 3 pts. Very enlightening!!

I also thought the article was stellar!! I did note that they stated that you can actually gain weight on a very low (less than 1200) calorie diet because your body will hang on the calories and store them rather than burn them. Thanks for the link!!