Drunkorexics use the money they don't spend on food to buy booze. Without food in their bellies, they get drunk faster. And while drinking can pack on pounds, drunkorexics take care of that by vomiting the alcohol to lose the weight.
It's troubling and a disorder that is three times more likely to affect women than men. As for the health risks, there are many.
The Week broke down the dangers:
It may seem obvious, but according to Victoria Osborne, assistant professor of social work and public health at the University of Missouri, failure to provide the brain "adequate nutrition" while imbibing "large amounts of alcohol" can lead to more serious eating disorders or addiction problems: "Together, they can cause short- and long-term cognitive problems including difficulty concentrating, studying and making decisions," she says.
And there's more, according to the Huff Post:
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.
The National Post reported that the findings in the Mizzou study have not been peer-reviewed but "are part of a growing body of research showing drunkorexia as a trend on campuses."
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