The term drunkorexia refers to the act of self-imposed utilization of extreme weight
control methods to compensate for alcohol consumption typically observed among university students.
Despite its diffusion, there is a lack of research investigating the presence of this new alarming trend in
Italy. Aim: this study estimates the frequency of drunkorexia behaviours in a sample of Italian youth
aged 14-24, explores the motivations for alcohol consumption among those presenting drunkorexiatype behaviours, and examines the relationship between drunkorexia and disordered eating. Methods:
drunkorexia behaviors, eating habits and motives for alcohol use were investigated in 403 subjects
(F=301, M=102) aged 14-24 through self-report questionnaires. A series of analyses, including
descriptive statistics, univariate analysis of the variance and multiple regressions were run. Results:
62.5% of the sample showed drunkorexia-type behaviours. Drunkorexia was related to disordered
eating, especially among females older than eighteen. Discussion and Conclusions: this the first study
investigating the incidence of drunkorexia behaviors in a sample of youth living in Northern Italy.
Evidence-based interventions for eating disorders and drinking problems should inspire the
development of ad hoc preventive and treatment actions for drunkorexia