Drunkorexia: an emerging trend in young adults.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies demonstrated an association between alcohol consumption and unhealthy food habits. Particularly, in young adults it has been observed the tendency to use extreme forms of weight control as a way to compensate planned binge drinking.

METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 4275 healthy subjects (43.9% males; 56.1% females), aged between 18 and 26 (mean age 22.04). The survey investigated socio-economic characteristics, drinking habits with a specific focus on binge consumption, abnormal eating behaviours and psychoactive substance use.

RESULTS: 34.1% of the overall sample reported to limit their calorie intake before drinking, with no significant gender difference. A significant correlation was found between drunkorexic attitudes and, respectively, binge drinking behaviours (p < .01), use of cocaine (p < .01), and use of Novel Psychoactive Substances (p < .01).

DISCUSSION: Our data identified drunkorexia as a common behaviour among Italian young adults. Raising awareness on drunkorexia may help health care providers to timely address and approach its possible short- and long-term consequences.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V (descriptive study).