Citation

Eisenberg MH, Fitz CC. J. Am. Coll. Health 2014; 62(8): 570-577.

Affiliation

a Department of Psychology , The George Washington University , Washington , DC.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2014.947991

PMID

25102366

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: "Drunkorexia," limiting food intake before alcohol consumption, increases college students' risk for negative alcohol-related health consequences. The current study tested whether 1) women engage in drunkorexia more frequently than men; 2) weight control motivations explain sex differences in drunkorexia; and 3) among women, weight control motivations are a particularly strong predictor of drunkorexia for heavier drinkers. Participants: Undergraduate males and females (n = 63) recruited during Fall of 2011.

METHODS: Participants self-reported their alcohol consumption, drunkorexia, and weight control motivations online.

RESULTS: Findings supported hypotheses: weight control motivations explained why women engage in drunkorexia more than men; and the weight control motivation → drunkorexia relation was strongest for heavier (vs. lighter) drinking women.

CONCLUSION: Women have more weight concerns than men, which makes them more likely to engage in drunkorexia. Heavy drinking women with strong weight control motivations are at greatest risk for drunkorexia. Interventions should help students more safely reconcile pressures to be thin and drink alcohol.

Language: en