Drunkorexia and Emotion Regulation and Emotion Regulation Difficulties: The Mediating Effect of Disordered Eating Attitudes

Abstract

Drunorexia refers to food calorie intake restriction to prevent weight gain and the desire to enhance the more extensive intoxicating effects of alcohol. The present study aimed to investigate the association of drunkorexia with emotion regulation as well as emotion regulation difficulties across the Lebanese population, and assess disordered eating attitudes as a potential mediator of these relationships. The cross-sectional study enrolled participants (n = 258) from all Lebanese districts. The study was performed through an online survey based on a self-designed and structured questionnaire. The Drunkorexia Motives and Behaviors Scales (DMBS), the College Life Alcohol Salience Scale (CLASS), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16), the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) were used in the present study. The results showed that higher EAT-26 total scores (more disordered eating attitudes) (B = 0.16) and higher DERS-16 total score (B = 0.30) were significantly associated with more drunkorexia motives. Also, higher EAT-26 total scores (B = 0.09) and higher DERS-16 total score (B = 0.17) were significantly associated with more drunkorexia behaviors. In addition, higher EAT-26 total scores (B = 0.10) and higher DERS-26 total score (B = 0.36) were significantly associated with more drunkorexia fails. Furthermore, higher EAT-26 total scores (B = 0.07), and higher DERS-16 total score (B = 0.37) were significantly associated with more drunkorexia during an alcohol consumption event. Higher EAT-26 total scores (B = 0.09), and higher DERS-16 total score (B = 0.22) were significantly associated with more post-drinking compensation. Higher EAT-26 total scores (B = 0.21), higher DERS-16 total scores (B = 0.65) and higher emotion regulation (B = 0.33) were significantly associated with higher CLASS scores. The results showed that EAT-26 total scores partially mediated the association between DERS-16 total score and drunkorexia motives (25.20%), between DERS-16 total score and drunkorexia behaviors (25.16%), between DERS-16 total score and drunkorexia fails (106.87%), between DERS-16 total score and drunkorexia during an alcohol consumption event (11.84%), between DERS-16 total score and post-drinking compensation (22.55%), between ERQ total score and college life alcohol salience (8.35%) and between DERS-16 total score and college life alcohol salience (20.14%). This study highlighted that only emotional regulation difficulties were associated with drunkorexia, whereas emotional regulation was not significantly associated with such behavior.

Drunkorexia behaviors and motives, eating attitudes and mental health in Lebanese alcohol drinkers: a path analysis model

“…Specifically, a previous study conducted in Lebanon concluded that around 28% of the adolescents are at risk of alcohol use disorder, and higher alcohol use disorder was significantly associated with higher cigarette and waterpipe smoking and bullying [27]. Furthermore, higher disordered eating attitudes and higher difficulties in emotion regulation are significantly associated with more drunkorexia motives among Lebanese adults [14]. Since Lebanese government does not have the inaction towards alcohol, in addition to the lack of existing policies regarding the illegal sale or advertisement of alcohol to minors, low excise taxes on alcohol [28], thus it is extremely vital to evaluate all factors associated with alcohol use disorder and drunkorexia among Lebanese population.…”

“…All the invited participants were above 18 years of age. The same methodology is described elsewhere [14].…”

“…There are different important factors that are associated with both inappropriate eating and drunkorexia, including drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, poor body esteem, ascetic tendencies, and difficulties regulating emotions [9,[12][13][14]. Thus, there is a close correlation between drunkorexia motive and disordered eating-referred to as "inappropriate eating"-depicted by frequent eating of palatable foods to alleviate negative affects associated with bingeeating and problematic alcohol use [15][16][17].…”

Risk Factors for Eating Disorders and Perception of Body in Young Adults Associated with Sex

“…Furthermore, the role of disordered eating attitudes in the relationship between drunkorexia and emotion regulation, as well as emotion regulation difficulties, has been investigated [ 60 ]. Gender differences in adolescents have also been highlighted [ 59 ].…”

Eating disorders and their relationship with menopausal phases among a sample of middle-aged Lebanese women

“…Another study claims no difference between pre, peri, and postmenopausal women concerning disordered eating and body shape concerns [ 14 ]. Studies about eating disorders in Lebanon were conducted among the general adult population [ 21 – 27 ] and adolescents [ 28 – 30 ], but not on middle-aged women in their menopause phase. The results of international studies are controversial about disordered eating in general and are lacking about orthorexia nervosa in particular.…”