Introduccion: los trastornos de comportamiento alimentario (TCA) son un grupo de sindromes que tienen en comun rasgos psicopatologicos fuertemente determinados por la apariencia fisica. Son mucho mas frecuentes en mujeres que en varones, predominando en jovenes. Hay aumento en la incidencia de los TCA, como producto del mejoramiento en el conocimiento y en la implementacion cada vez mas temprana de mejores instrumentos de busqueda de sintomas, factores de riesgo y la disponibilidad de criterios diagnosticos bien definidos. Objetivo: identificar las principales escalas validadas que permiten detectar sintomas y conductas de riesgo para trastornos del comportamiento alimentario en adolescentes y adultos. Metodologia: revision tematica de publicaciones en las que se presentan, validan y analizan diversas escalas para evaluar sintomas y conductas de riesgo para TCA. Se realizo busqueda electronica desde 1984 al 2011, en ingles y espanol. Se incluyeron todas las modalidades de publicaciones. Se revisaron los resumenes y se escogieron los documentos completos que trataban sobre escalas para valorar sintomas y factores de riesgo para trastornos del comportamiento alimentario. Resultados: se obtuvieron 539 resumenes sobre TCA. Se revisaron 75 articulos completos y se identificaron seis escalas validadas para identificar sintomas y conductas de riesgo: SCOFF (Sick, Control, Outweight, Fat, Food), EDE-Q (Eating Disorder Examination-self-report Questionnaire), EAT (Eating Attitudes Test), en versions de 40 y 26 preguntas, ademas de una escala especifica para ninos (ChEAT-26). EDI (Eating Disorder Inventory), BULIT (Bulimia Test) y su version revisada (BULIT-R), BITE (Bulimia Test of Edimburg). Conclusion: la escala SCOFF se destaca por ser sencilla y facil de aplicar ya sea de forma oral o escrita. La escala EAT, en ambas versiones, es considerada como el estandar de oro para identificar sintomas y conductas de riesgo para TCA. BULIT o BULIT-R y BITE son especificas para bilimia. Rev.cienc.biomed. 2012;3(1):99-111 PALABRAS CLAVES Trastornos de la conducta alimentaria; Bulimia nerviosa; Anorexia nerviosa; TCANE. SUMMARY Introduction: eating disorders are a group of syndromes that have in common, psychopathological traits that are largely determined by their physical appearance. They are much more common in women than in men, predominantly in young people. There is increased incidence of eating disorders, which are the result of improved knowledge and the increasingly early implementation of better instruments for symptoms, risk factors and the availability of well defined diagnostic criteria. Objective: to identify key validated scales to detect symptoms and risk behaviors for eating disorders in adolescents and adults. Methodology: thematic review of publications in which they occur, validate and analyze different scales to assess symptoms and risk behaviors for ED. Electronic search was conducted from 1984 to 2011 in English and Spanish. We included all types of publications. We reviewed the abstracts and full papers were selected that addressed scales to assess symptoms and risk factors for eating behavior disorders. Results: 539 abstracts were obtained on TCA. We reviewed 75 articles identified six complete and validated scales to identify symptoms and risk behaviors. Scale SCOFF (Sick, Control, Outweigh, Fat, Food). Scale EDE-Q. (Eating Disorder Examination- Questionnaire self-report). Scale EAT (Eating Attitudes Test) in versions 40 and 26 questions. Scale EDI (Eating Disorder Inventory). Scale BULIT (Bulimia Test) and version revised (BULIT-R). Scale BITE (Bulimia Test of Edinburg). Conclusion: the SCOFF scale stands out to be simple and easy to apply orally or in writing. EAT scale, in both versions, is considered the gold standard to identify symptoms and risk behaviors for eating disorder behavior. Rev.cienc.biomed.2012;3(1):99-111 KEYWORDS Eating disorders; Nervous bulimia; Anorexia nervosa; EDNOS.