If I told you that a vodka and coke contained the kilojoule equivalent of a tablespoon of mayonnaise, would you think twice about ordering it?

Go for a double shot and you’re almost up to a slice of pizza.

This confronting, but realistic approach to handling the bar has reportedly snowballed into a whole new kind of disordered eating – but it’s not the booze that’s being forfeited, it’s the food.

The media-coined ‘drunkorexia’ is characterised by a self-imposed restriction on food in preparation for the consumption of alcohol – in other words, the amalgamation of disordered eating with binge drinking.

Victoria Osborne, an assistant professor of social work and public health at the University of Missouri, found that 16 per cent of surveyed college students admitted to restricting calories in order to compensate for heavy drinking. Typical motivations included “preventing weight gain, getting intoxicated faster, and saving money”.

The dangers of drinking are well known. Consumption of alcohol is linked to over 60 medical conditions, and raises the overall risk of cancer. Intoxication affects coordination, concentration and judgement; is responsible for serious adverse social consequences; and accounts for 13% of preventable teenage deaths in Australia.

Add an empty stomach into the mix and you’re more likely to reach an unhealthy level of intoxication quickly, says Michael Thorn; chief executive of FARE, the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

But why all the fuss – is alcohol really fattening?

Despite containing no fat, alcohol is an energy dense food. To put it in context:

Fat	37 kilojoules per gram
Alcohol	27 kilojoules per gram
Protein	17 kilojoules per gram
Carbohydrates	16 kilojoules per gram

Add to that a sugar-laden mixer and you’ve got yourself a liquid meal, so it’s no surprise that diet-savvy consumers are finding ways to compromise outside of the bar.

The problem is, though, despite what Coca-Cola would have us to believe, all kilojoules are not equal: alcohol may be high in energy, but it offers no additional nutrients or benefits. By skimping on whole foods to make up for the looming energy hit, you’re foregoing essential nutrients needed for growth, maintenance and repair – not to mention to deal with the intake of an actual toxin.

And incidentally, yes, alcohol is considered a toxin – there’s a reason it’s used to kill germs.

So while the concept of ‘drunkorexia’ is abhorrent, being aware of the kilojoule content in alcohol is important. If you’re watching your weight, sticking to clear liquors and low-sugar mixers like soda water or cranberry juice won’t break the diet.

 

alcohol	serve size	% alcohol			kilojoules	exercise to burn off			food equivalent
Spirit – gin, vodka, rum, whiskey	1 shot (30ml)	40%			290kj	25 mins light housework			1 medium apple (135g)
white wine – standard serve	100ml	11%			344kj	20 mins gardening			1 can tuna in springwater (95g)
red wine– standard serve	100ml	13%			357kj	30 mins bowling			2 jelly snakes
sparkling wine – standard serve	150ml	18%			403kj	15 mins rollerskating			1 party pie
beer	375ml	4%			574kj	20 mins gentle cycling			1 small chicken drumstick (50g)
beer – light (reduced alcohol)	375ml	1.5-2.5%			390kj	1 hour walking			6 multigrain crackers (20g)
beer – low carb	375ml	4%			454kj	25 mins pilates			1 tablespoon peanut butter
cider, apple – dry	375ml	5%			608kj	40 mins gentle walking			1 small coleslaw (110g)
cider, apple – sweet	375ml	5%			836kj	20 mins jogging			2 slices raison toast (65g)
vodka + cola	167ml	20%			693kj	30 mins golfing			1 piece of cheese (40g)
vodka – lime and soda	167ml	13%			727kj	30 mins low impact aerobics			½ can baked beans (105g)
vodka + cranberry juice	167ml	11%			199kj	20 mins yoga			porridge made from oats and skim milk (1/4 cup)
vodka + soda	167ml	13%			407kj	10 mins rock climbing			1 scoop vanilla icecream
vodka + energy drink	167ml	13%			748kj	20 mins volleyball			handful of raw almonds (30g)
vodka + diet carbonated mixer	167ml	13%			407kj	25 mins powerwalking			1 chocolate bar (50g)
mojito	177ml		13%	601kj			20 mins hiking	½ medium avocado (150g)
margarita	118ml		33%	706kj			15 mins vigorous cycling	1 piece teriyaki chicken sushi
cosmopolitan	81ml		27%	613kj			20 mins tennis	1 tablespoon mayonnaise
daiquiri	118ml		20%	512kj			35 mins surfing	½ small cinnamon donut (35g)
pina colada	266ml		13%	1932kj			1 hour swimming	1 mcdonalds double cheeseburger

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Categories: In the News

Tags: Alcohol, booze, disordered eating, drinking, drunkorexia, drunkorexic, food, hangover, health, nutrition, weight loss, weightloss