Drunkorexia

Drunkorexia is a non-medical colloquial term used to describe the concurrent behaviors of disordered eating and alcohol abuse. Typically characterized by intentional starvation or binge eating/purging practices paired with excessive alcohol consumption, this phenomenon is especially prevalent among college-aged individuals. While initial research mainly highlighted patterns among women, subsequent studies have underscored its occurrence among young men as well.

Overview

"Drunkorexia" has not been officially recognized as a medical or psychological condition, but the term has found its place in popular lexicon to describe a disturbing trend of combining eating disorder behaviors with alcohol misuse.

Prevalence among College Students

The juxtaposition of disordered eating and binge drinking is prominently observed among college students. A significant study conducted by the University of Missouri found:

• Approximately 30% of female college respondents revealed that they had, in the past year, deliberately reduced their food intake to consume more alcohol.
• Conversely, male students were observed to exhibit such behavior more as a means to economize, allocating more funds toward purchasing alcohol.

Motivations and Consequences

The motivations behind these behaviors seem to be varied but can be categorized primarily as:

• Avoidance of weight gain from alcohol: 67% of students who practiced caloric restriction before drinking alcohol reported doing so to circumvent weight gain.
• Intensified alcohol intoxication: 21% admitted to restricting their food intake to amplify the effects of alcohol.

This combination of malnutrition and binge drinking can have severe physiological and psychological repercussions.

Eating Disorder and Alcohol Abuse Correlation

According to data sourced from the Eating Disorder Center of Denver, there seems to be a potent correlation between alcohol abuse and eating disorders. In a related research survey:

• About 75% of the participating college-aged females met the criteria for alcohol misuse.

Implications and Concerns

The confluence of alcohol abuse and disordered eating patterns, especially among the youth, raises concerns for both immediate and long-term health complications. Both eating disorders and alcohol abuse individually pose significant health risks; when combined, these risks can be exacerbated.

See Also

• Binge drinking
• Eating disorders
• Alcohol abuse

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