‘Drunkorexia' More Prevalent Among College Students: Study

"Drunkorexia" is the name for behaviors such as skipping meals or heavy exercising to offset calories from binge drinking

Almost a third of college students say they’ve taken part in practices dubbed “drunkorexia,” according to a recent study, NBC News reported. 

That’s the name for behaviors such as skipping meals or heavy exercising to offset calories from binge drinking, or to pump up alcohol’s buzz. The study, conducted by a research assistant at the University of Houston, found that the behaviors were just as common in men as they were in women. 

The survey found that 80 percent of students engaged in at least one of the following behaviors: cutting back on food and increasing exercise; engaging in bulimic-type behaviors such as vomiting after eating or taking laxatives; boosting exercise or eating less to offset calories from drinking. 

Previous research showed that 40 percent of college students drink heavily at least once a month. The researcher said a cultural shift in men being more worried about their appearance may have led to the rise in the behavior. 

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