By Julia Gastwirth

Due to the nature of this story, several sources indicated a preference to remain anonymous. Because of this, their full names have been withheld from publication.

Before enrolling at the University of Maryland, incoming students are required to take the online alcohol education course, AlcoholEdu and are taught “The Gold Code,” a UMD-specific alcohol awareness campaign which aims to educate students about safe and responsible drinking habits. 

However, the Gold Code does not address the increasing prevalence of “drunkorexia,” a slang, non-medical term that describes the behavior of restricting food intake in anticipation of alcohol consumption to offset the calories ingested or to enhance the intoxicating effects of alcohol, according to an article in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

“When I know I’m going out to drink, I try not to eat as much because I don’t want to look bloated or gain weight,” said senior mechanical engineering major Liza.

One important facet of the Gold Code is to “Pregame with Protein.” This catchy motto encourages students who decide to consume alcohol to enjoy a meal high in protein beforehand, because protein slows the absorption of alcohol, therefore helping to control blood alcohol levels. Yet some students don’t always abide by this motto. 

“I always try to eat before going out, but oftentimes I either forget or don’t have the time to between getting ready and meeting up with friends,” junior psychology major Ariel said.

The term drunkorexia was coined in a 2008 New York Times article by Sarah Kershaw, and it started showing up in medical research roughly four years later, around 2012. 

It is not surprising that the abuse of alcohol and disordered eating should co-occur, what with society’s emphasis on being skinny and the greater social acceptance of drinking. Binge drinking is more widely accepted than ever and being thin has been deemed to be culturally attractive, said Douglas Bunnell, the previous president of the National Eating Disorders Association. With these values being consistently reinforced, the disorder has only become more common.

This is not to say that drunkorexia isn’t prevalent in the population of college-aged males. But the reasoning behind the behaviors likely differs based on gender. A study in the Journal of American College Health found that men were more likely to restrict food intake prior to drinking to get drunk faster, whereas women more often cited weight concerns as the reason for food restriction. 

Up to 33% of university students reported the use of restriction of food prior to alcohol use in an effort to compensate for alcohol calories, according to a study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. Other studies have reported that upwards of 58% of college students engage in these behaviors.

Drunkorexia is especially concerning because drinking alcohol on an empty stomach often leads to overconsumption and an unexpected degree of intoxication that inhibits judgement and increases risk for physical injury, according to The University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.

Binge drinking is also associated with missed classes, poor grades, depression, suicidality, legal troubles and violence – and all of these negative outcomes are intensified when people restrict their food intake prior to drinking, according to an article in Psychology Today by Renee Engeln.

“Even though I’m aware of the risks,” Liza said. “It isn’t enough to keep me from continuing to eat less to drink more.”