Study Connects Heavy Drinking And Eating Disorders Among College Aged Students

Being dubbed as “drunkorexia” by media outlets, alcohol consumption combined with eating disorders are rampant among college campuses. Medical officials warn that these two health harming habits can have grave consequences.

“Apart from each other, depriving the brain of adequate nutrition and consuming large amounts of alcohol can be dangerous,” says Victoria Osborne, University of Missouri professor of social work and public health. “Together, they can cause short- and long-term cognitive problems including difficulty concentrating, studying and making decisions.”

According to research statistics, 3 times as many women than men are engaging in excessive alcohol consumption and eating disorders combined. Some students say they “save” calories for drinking by not eating and save money for alcohol by not buying food.

“It is important that young people understand the risks of this behavior,” Osborn continues. “We teach college students about the dangers of binge drinking, but most of them do not consider the long-term health consequences of disordered eating and heavy drinking, either alone or combined.”

Programs have been enacted to try and combat the trend. The CHEERS program for designated drivers was a start, but colleges have continued with programs targeted to educate those most at risk. Kim Dude, the director of the Wellness Resource Center, says, “We are aware that this is a problem on campus, and we’re working to address it through research and educational programs. The at-risk drinking rate among our students has declined in recent years, so we know our prevention efforts are headed in the right direction.”

Source: Medical News Today

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