(PS1-B31) An Examination of Drunkorexia and Its Correlates

Drunkorexia is the practice of limiting food calorie consumption either in advance of, or subsequent to, drinking in order to compensate for the calories consumed from alcohol. Although reduced food intake is the most common strategy, excessive exercise and active purging also occur. Such behavior can lead to increased negative consequences among college student drinkers in particular. A growing body of research into factors associated with this practice has revealed strong positive correlations between drunkorexia and both problem drinking and disordered eating behavior, suggesting that drunkorexic behavior is a combination of problematic drinking and problematic eating rather than just one or the other. The current study investigated the correlates of drunkorexia and sought to replicate the findings of by Hunt and Forbush (2016), who found drunkorexia had unique associations with both alcohol misuse and eating pathology. One hundred and twelve undergraduate students who drank alcohol completed a web-based survey in an on-campus computer lab. Drunkorexia was captured by the Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale (CEBRACS); key predictors were the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire (EDEQ), and questions assessing alcohol related problems. Correlational analyses revealed a positive associations between drunkorexia and alcohol related problems (r  = .42), and between drunkorexia and disordered eating behavior (r = .50). Hierarchical linear regression modeling revealed that eating disorder behavior and the alcohol use behavior both accounted for significant and unique variance in drunkorexic behavior, over and above one another. More variance in drunkorexic behavior was accounted for by the addition eating pathology (28%) , than by the addition of alcohol use (19%). These findings replicate those of Hunt & Forbush (2016) and suggest that drunkorexia is a construct that is not solely an eating disorder behavior or an alcohol use behavior but, rather, some combination thereof. These findings suggest that drunkorexia should not be thought of as either an eating disorder or an alcohol use disorder but, rather, some combination thereof. They also suggest integrated interventions should be developed that target both risk factors at one time. In light of these findings, when a student is identified as engaging in problematic alcohol use, they should be screened for drunkorexia and disordered eating. Similarly, those who are identified as engaging in disordered eating should also be screened for drunkorexia. Research should seek out factors that may prove protective, so that efforts can be made to enhance protective factors on college campuses, while also addressing these behaviors when they do occur.