Interactive Interpreter

BES Scoring · Binge Eating Scale (16-Item)

The BES (Binge Eating Scale) is a 16-item self-report questionnaire that rates the severity of binge eating, covering both the behaviour and the feelings and thoughts around a binge. Totals run 0 to 46: 17 or less suggests no or minimal binge eating, 18 to 26 moderate and 27 or more severe binge eating.

For professional reference, research, and education only. Not for diagnosis or medical advice.

BES Score Interpreter

  • Enter a total score to see its range.

  • 16 items; for each, the statement chosen carries a weight of 0 to 3 (weights differ between items). Sum the 16 weights for a total of 0 to 46. Higher scores indicate more severe binge eating.

    Total scoreInterpretation
    27+Severe binge eatingScores of 27 to 46 indicate severe binge eating. Follow with a clinical interview for binge eating disorder.
    18–26Moderate binge eatingScores of 18 to 26 indicate moderate binge eating. A score of 18 or more is the usual positive screen; follow with a clinical interview.
    0–17No or minimal binge eatingScores of 0 to 17 suggest no or minimal binge eating.

    Severity ranges per Marcus, Wing and Hopkins (1988), as reported by Robert et al. (2013): 17 or less no or minimal, 18 to 26 moderate, 27 or more severe binge eating.

The BES (Binge Eating Scale) is a 16-item self-report questionnaire that rates the severity of binge eating. Totals run 0 to 46, read as no or minimal, moderate or severe binge eating [3].

What does the BES measure?

The BES measures how severe a person's binge eating problems are. Gormally and colleagues built it for people with obesity, to describe both what happens during a binge and how the person feels about it [1]. It is used to screen for binge eating disorder.

  • Behaviour. Eight items describe eating behaviour, such as eating large amounts of food [3].
  • Feelings and thoughts. Eight items describe what surrounds a binge, such as guilt or fear of being unable to stop eating [3].

In the original study the scale separated people whom trained interviewers had judged to have no, moderate or severe binge eating problems [1].

How do you give the BES?

The BES is completed by the client on paper or on screen.

  • Format. Each of the 16 items is a group of three or four statements; the client picks the one that best describes them [3].
  • Who gives it. Non-clinical staff can hand it out; a clinician interprets the total.
  • Pairing. For a broader eating disorder screen, the SCOFF asks about restriction, purging and body image as well.

How do you score and interpret the BES?

  1. For each item, find the weight of the statement the client chose. Weights run from 0 (no binge eating problem) to 3 (a severe problem) [3].
  2. Use the scoring key: the weights are not the statement's position, and not every item uses every weight.
  3. Add the 16 weights for a total from 0 to 46 [3].
  4. Read the total against the three severity ranges: 17 or less no or minimal, 18 to 26 moderate and 27 or more severe binge eating. Robert and colleagues report these ranges from Marcus, Wing and Hopkins [3] [2]. The scorer at the top of this page shows each range with its note.
  5. Treat a total of 18 or more as a positive screen, and follow it with a clinical interview [3].

Other cutoffs

Under DSM-5 criteria, which lowered the threshold for binge eating disorder, a cutoff of 15 classified as well as or better than 17 in two bariatric surgery samples (1,133 people in all): sensitivity above 0.72, specificity above 0.67 [6]. Its authors suggest 15 in that setting.

Psychometric properties

  • Original study. The BES discriminated among people judged by interviewers to have no, moderate or severe binge eating problems [1], and its scores were internally consistent (Cronbach's α 0.85) [3].
  • Malaysian adults. Against a structured clinical interview in 150 adults, a cutoff of 17 gave sensitivity 84.6% and specificity 94.9%, with an area under the curve of 0.95 and Cronbach's α 0.89 [3].
  • Women seeking obesity treatment. In 178 Brazilian women, the cutoff of 17 gave sensitivity 97.8% and specificity 47.7%; test-retest agreement over 15 days was κ 0.66 [4].
  • Women in the community. In 1,008 Portuguese women, the BES had a one-factor structure and good test-retest reliability. In 150 of them assessed by interview, it classified 96.7% of cases correctly (sensitivity 81.8%, specificity 97.8%) [5].

Limitations

  • Screening, not diagnosis. The BES rates severity; a diagnosis of binge eating disorder needs a clinical interview.
  • Specificity varies. False positives were common in treatment-seeking samples [4], so a positive screen is a reason to ask more, not a conclusion.
  • Built for obesity. It was developed in people with obesity [1]; later validations add women from the general population [5].
  • Cutoffs predate DSM-5. The usual cutoff was set before DSM-5 lowered the threshold for binge eating disorder, and a lower cutoff may suit some settings [6].
  • Uneven item weights. Scoring by statement position instead of the key gives a wrong total.

For individuals: This page is a clinical reference, not a diagnostic tool. If you have concerns about your own symptoms, bring this information to a qualified mental health professional.

Related

FAQ

  • What is the Binge Eating Scale?

    The Binge Eating Scale (BES) is a 16-item self-report questionnaire developed by Gormally and colleagues in 1982 to rate the severity of binge eating in people with obesity. Eight items describe eating behaviour and eight describe the feelings and thoughts around a binge, such as guilt and fear of being unable to stop eating.

  • How do you score the BES?

    For each of the 16 items the respondent picks the one statement that fits best. Each statement carries a weight from 0 to 3, and the weights differ from item to item, so use the scoring key rather than the statement's position. Add the 16 weights for a total from 0 to 46.

  • What do BES scores mean?

    A total of 17 or less suggests no or minimal binge eating, 18 to 26 moderate binge eating and 27 or more severe binge eating. These three ranges come from Marcus, Wing and Hopkins (1988). A score of 18 or more is the usual cutoff for a positive screen.

  • How accurate is the BES?

    Accuracy depends on the setting. Against a structured clinical interview, a cutoff of 17 gave sensitivity 84.6% and specificity 94.9% in a Malaysian sample, but 97.8% and 47.7% in Brazilian women seeking obesity treatment. In a bariatric surgery sample assessed against DSM-5 criteria, a lower cutoff of 15 classified as well as or better than 17.

References

    1. 1.Gormally J, Black S, Daston S, Rardin D. The assessment of binge eating severity among obese persons. Addict Behav. 1982;7(1):47-55.
    2. 2.Marcus MD, Wing RR, Hopkins J. Obese binge eaters: affect, cognitions, and response to behavioural weight control. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988;56(3):433-9.
    3. 3.Robert SA, Rohana AG, Suehazlyn Z, Maniam T, Azhar SS, Azmi KN. The validation of the Malay version of binge eating scale: a comparison with the structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV. J Eat Disord. 2013;1:28.
    4. 4.Freitas SR, Lopes CS, Appolinario JC, Coutinho W. The assessment of binge eating disorder in obese women: a comparison of the binge eating scale with the structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV. Eat Behav. 2006;7(3):282-9.
    5. 5.Duarte C, Pinto-Gouveia J, Ferreira C. Expanding binge eating assessment: Validity and screening value of the Binge Eating Scale in women from the general population. Eat Behav. 2015;18:41-7.
    6. 6.Jeong H, Hapenciuc G, Meza E, Le JT, Heinberg LJ, Marek RJ. Reevaluating the Binge Eating Scale cut-off using DSM-5 criteria: analysis and replication in preoperative metabolic and bariatric surgery samples. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2023;19(9):945-949.

This library is an academic and clinical reference. A scale described here is not necessarily offered in HiBoop; each page says whether it is.

Add to your practice