'Drunkorexia' Hits College Campuses - East Idaho News

‘Drunkorexia’ Hits College Campuses

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Getty 102713 drinks?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1382892799734Fuse/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A new drinking craze is making the rounds at college campuses.

“Drunkorexia,” or drinking alcohol on an empty stomach, is popular among students, with one study showing up to 40 percent of college students trying it.

The University of Florida report finds highly active students are more likely to binge drink than those who exercise infrequently, and some drink without eating to avoid gaining weight.

The fad appeals to the younger crowd with its promise of getting drunk faster. One student who tried it, Dominic Lanciaux, said he got very sick afterward and didn’t like the feeling.

Doctors say drinking with no food in your stomach can lead to alcohol poisoning, as well as a trip to the hospital. Dr. Marc Breen, with Community Hospital in Grand Junction, Colo., said it can cause people to lose control of their bodies and lead to breathing problems.

“With some of these cases, they’re even sick enough where we have to intuate them and put them on a breathing machine,” Breen said.

Other complications include irritation and inflammation, which leads to bleeding inside the stomach.

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