Drunkorexia Can Damage Your Long Term Health, Says New Study

According to a new study by the University of Missouri, drunkorexia-- i.e. drinking copiously without eating enough-- is not only a bad idea in the short term, but can also have serious consequences for your long term health.

"Apart from each other, depriving the brain of adequate nutrition and consuming large amounts of alcohol can be dangerous," Victoria Osborne, assistant professor of social work and public health at Missouri said in a press release. "Together, they can cause short- and long-term cognitive problems including difficulty concentrating, studying and making decisions."

More from the University of Missouri-Columbia::

People who participate in disordered eating combined with binge drinking are also more at risk for violence, risky sexual behavior, alcohol poisoning, substance abuse and chronic diseases later in life. Osborne says women are at higher risk for health problems related to binge drinking because they metabolize alcohol differently than men. This means women can get sick faster and suffer damage to vital organs sooner than men might.

Drunkorexia has been receiving more attention in the press, the LA Times pronouncing it a "growing trend" among college students last year.

Comments

[J R M]

12:25 PM on 10/20/2011

Surprise? What would you expect?

Bad idea.

[Chartwell]

02:14 PM on 10/19/2011

Excessive drinking is obviously a health problem, but so is the "not eating enough" part of the equation. http://teen.sharecare.com/_If-You-Skip-Meals-You-Could-Be-Gaining-Weight-Not-Losing-It/blog/5339392/193346.html

[Klein bottle]

06:02 PM on 10/18/2011

OK, Drinking so much you pass out and not eating bad for your health. Got it. I hope no one actually PAID for this study.

[Tunghoy]

05:02 PM on 10/18/2011

Drunkorexia? I thought it was called College.

Though alcohol was briefly interspersed with White Castle and unrecognizable things from a vending machine heated in a microwave. No wonder I became vegetarian after I graduated.

[SusieQTX]

04:52 PM on 10/18/2011

anything that has an ending -orexia isn't going to be good for you!!!!

[benji85]

04:29 PM on 10/18/2011

Drinking large amounts is dangerous to your health who knew?

[JC Phoenix]

03:44 PM on 10/18/2011

O RLY? I had no idea that the college lifestyle, aka "Drunkorexia," could be bad to health at all. That's why you have to pair the drinks with Ramen, Greasy hamburgers at midnight, and fries. Then you'll be safe. I'm still alive...miraculously.

[silkphoenix]

03:07 PM on 10/18/2011

If you really have to be told about that, you are probably a drunk way too often.

[elarue111]

02:05 PM on 10/18/2011

Shocking!!! I mean really where"s the news here, except maybe someone was stupid enough to spend time and research money to learn something everyone that drinks knows, or used to know. Wait, I cant decide! duhhh, Where"s the vodka? Its lunch time!

[iamelneco]

01:46 PM on 10/18/2011

drinking alot and not eating are both unhealthy. together = very bad. in other news grass is green

[shubes61]

01:25 PM on 10/18/2011

hey, now... no dissing patsy... she's my role model! ;)

[bahkey]

01:02 PM on 10/18/2011

When I drink alone,
I prefer to be,
by myself.

[blevins]

12:28 PM on 10/18/2011

This is a bit off topic but I saw bacon flavored vodka at the liquor store. Why?

[elarue111]

02:01 PM on 10/18/2011

Try it in a bloody mary. awesome!

[camanokat]

03:55 PM on 10/18/2011

Sounds delish! I had bacon ice cream at the local food co-op recently. It's GOOOOOOOOOOOD!

[pepper1311]

12:15 PM on 10/18/2011

Time to buy health care stock for the kids.

[Gadgetman]

12:08 PM on 10/18/2011

They needed to do a study for this? Who's the idiot who wasted $ funding this?

[Sahana Sankar]

01:28 PM on 10/18/2011

Just what I was thinking. Because "drunkorexia" doesn't sound like a problem at all.