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Research: Calories vs Cocktails: When Diet Culture Meets Binge Drinking

Drunkorexia is a concerning blend of disordered eating and alcohol misuse and is emerging as a significant issue among young women at university. Characterised by behaviours such as meal skipping, excessive exercise, or purging to compensate for alcohol calories, it is often driven by body image pressures and social drinking culture. Recent Australian research found that over 28% of female university students aged 18–24 engage in these behaviours, which are closely linked to underlying emotional challenges such as low self-control, emotional deprivation, and social isolation. This behaviour is not simply a lifestyle choice, it is often a coping mechanism that puts students at serious risk of alcohol poisoning, eating disorders, and poor mental health. Universities have a vital role to play by promoting body-positive culture, raising awareness of the risks, and encouraging regular physical activity as a healthy outlet.

Citation: Powell‐jones, A. & Simpson, S. Drunkorexia: An investigation of symptomatology and early maladaptive schemas within a female, young adult Australian population. Australian Psychologist, 2020. (link)

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University students often face high stress and long periods of sedentary study, yet little is known about how daily physical activity influences their stress and academic functioning. This research explored how leisure-time exercise and short activity breaks relate to stress, recovery and perceived study performance among 57 university students over a ten-day home-study period. The […]

Research: Understanding Food Insecurity and Diet Quality In Australian University Students

Food insecurity is an increasing issue in Australian higher education, yet its broader impact on student wellbeing is still not well understood. This research investigated how food insecurity, diet quality, physical activity and social connectedness relate to depressive symptoms in 145 University of Canberra students, using validated measures to capture post-pandemic health and wellbeing patterns. […]

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