Researchers at Brigham Young University believe they've found a scientific way to determine if someone has an eating disorder. Examining just 5 strands of hair for carbon and nitrogen can reveal important information about someone's day-to-day nutrition.

"Kent Hatch, a biologist and the lead author of the study, said clinicians could use this as a tool to help diagnose such disorders as anorexia or bulimia because many sufferers lied or did not recognize their problems."

The study has been shown to be 80% accurate in determining whether a person had anorexia or bulimia. Some eating disorder specialists hope this evidence will help patients who are in denial to realize they have a disorder that is affecting them physiologically. Read more from ABCnews.com.