Drunkorexia
Young Women
According to the University of Texas at Austin University Health Services, an estimated 30 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 23 restrict their calories so they can drink more alcohol.
Young Men
While doctors associate a greater proportion of women with experiencing drunkorexia, men are also at risk. Some men also report refraining from eating as a means to save money for drinking. Although there isn’t a lot of data or research about who is most likely to experience drunkorexia, young people are often mentioned as a common demographic.
College Age
While drunkorexia is not solely a college problem, it is a problem that can often begin in college.
According to The Washington Post, an estimated 60 percent of people in college ages 18 to 22 consume alcohol.
Young women who are college-aged are also more likely to experience higher rates of eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Restrictive behaviors and attempts at weight control can be hallmarks of an eating disorder. While “drunkorexia” isn’t a scientifically recognized eating disorder, the two conditions can go hand in hand.
“Some students perceive drunkorexia to be harmless when in fact the behavior is extremely dangerous, Once they recognize that it’s unhealthy, a lot of students make the decision to change their behavior and get help as necessary.”
Tavis Glassman -Professor of Health Education and Public Health at the University of Toledo
Lack of food and higher levels of alcohol are not a healthy combination. There are several negative side effects to a person’s health from drunkorexia. Examples of some of the unwanted side effects include:
Alcohol Provides Little Nutritional Value
If a person skips meals in favor of alcohol, not only are they robbing their body of nutrients, they are also not feeding their body with key nutrients and energy. Also, a person may end up binge drinking at the end of the night because a person may get excessively hungry after skipping a meal or meals.
Impaired Judgement
Consuming too much alcohol can impair judgment and increase the risk of an accident, such as a fall. According to Healthline, an estimated 1,800 college students die each year from alcohol-related accidents.
Overworking the Liver
When a person’s body breaks down alcohol, the liver naturally uses more necessary nutrients. This can create vitamin deficiencies in a person’s body. Examples of these deficiencies include vitamin B, especially thiamine, magnesium, fiber, or protein.
According to Victoria Osborne, an assistant professor of social work and public health interviewed in ScienceDaily, “Apart from each other, depriving the brain of adequate nutrition and consuming large amounts of alcohol can be dangerous. Together, they can cause short- and long-term cognitive problems including difficulty concentrating, studying, and making decisions.”
Women experience drunkorexia at a higher rate than men. They are also more likely to experience intoxication at faster rates than men. This can put them at greater risk for adverse side effects, including liver damage from excess drinking.
The concept and term “drunkorexia” is one that emerged in the early 2010’s. While experts on addiction as well as eating disorders were likely aware of the connection, they are starting to develop more information on the condition and who is at risk.
According to The Washington Post, researchers are trying to have the term “alcoholimia” added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This could be an important move forward for researchers because it would give doctors a definitive way to diagnose these behaviors and start collecting more information on why and how drunkorexia happens.
In addition, it would help those suffering from drunkorexia gain support for medical treatment.
Long-term excess alcohol consumption can adversely affect a person’s health, including increasing the risks for certain cancer types as well as affecting the immune system to make a person more vulnerable to a number of illnesses.
Binge drinking episodes can be as dangerous as long-term drinking, according to the National Institutes of Health. Alcohol can affect a number of body systems long-term. Examples of these include:
The concept and term “drunkorexia” is one that emerged in the early 2010’s. While experts on addiction as well as eating disorders were likely aware of the connection, they are starting to develop more information on the condition and who is at risk.
According to The Washington Post, researchers are trying to have the term “alcoholimia” added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This could be an important move forward for researchers because it would give doctors a definitive way to diagnose these behaviors and start collecting more information on why and how drunkorexia happens.
In addition, it would help those suffering from drunkorexia gain support for medical treatment.
https://healthyhorns.utexas.edu/drunkorexia.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017171506.htm
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/new-concern-on-college-campuses-drunkorexia-a-combination-drinking-and-eating-disorder/2019/03/08/093cf47c-4028-11e9-9361-301ffb5bd5e6_story.html?utm_term=.b74ebca0b83c
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/concerns-grow-over-drunkorexia
https://www.foxnews.com/health/dangers-of-drunkorexia-what-happens-when-you-skip-meals-to-drink-alcohol
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body
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