Food and Alcohol Disturbance in UK Adults

Bradbury, Jane, Martin, Helen R., Bamborough, Rachel and Kitcher, Janina (2025) Food and Alcohol Disturbance in UK Adults. Dietetics, 4 (2). ISSN 2674-0311

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Abstract

Restricting food intake before consuming alcohol due to weight concerns or to increase alcohol’s intoxicating effects (food and alcohol disturbance, FAD) is a recognised problem in young American college students, but there is less evidence about whether middle-aged and older adults are also engaging in FAD behaviours. A cross-sectional survey of FAD and potential alcohol problems using validated measures (Compensatory Eating and Behaviours in Response to Alcohol Consumption, CEBRACS; Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, AUDIT-C) was administered online and in two universities in the north of England to adults aged ≥ 18 years old who had consumed ≥ one alcoholic beverage within the previous month. Most of the 488 participants were ≥25 years (73%) and not university students (72%). Overall, 69% of participants engaged in at least one FAD behaviour in the previous 3 months. The youngest age group (18–24 years) was significantly less likely than the oldest age group (53+ years) to never engage in FAD behaviours: alcohol effects OR (CI) 0.05 (0.02, 0.13); bulimia 0.08 (0.01, 0.67); and restriction 0.21 (0.08, 0.52). Nevertheless, 47% of the oldest age group engaged in at least one FAD-related behaviour, and student status was not associated with FAD behaviours, except for alcohol effects. FAD behaviours were engaged in by most alcohol consumers in this study, including middle- and older-aged adults, and non-students.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Data Availability Statement: Dataset available upon request from the authors.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	food and alcohol disturbance,drunkorexia,disordered eating,alcohol,weight-conscious behaviours
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2025 11:30
Last Modified:	15 Dec 2025 11:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101389
DOI:	10.3390/dietetics4020019

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