Self-Regulatory and Compensatory Eating Behaviors Related to Alcohol Among College Students

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether there was an association between alcohol consumption, compensatory eating behaviors and self regulatory eating behaviors among college students. METHODS: Cross-sectional study utilizing two validated surveys to collect all data: compensatory eating and behaviors in response to alcohol consumption scale (CEBRACS) and the self regulation of eating behavior questionnaire (SREBQ). Participants included college students enrolled at least part-time at a Southwest state university's main campus during the 2020–2021 academic school year (n = 120). Multinomial logistics regression was used to assess whether there was an association between alcohol consumption, compensatory eating behaviors and self regulatory eating behaviors. RESULTS: Statistically significant associations were noted between students skipping meals to make up for calories consumed when drinking alcohol (p < .001), eating less to get more drunk (p < .001) and students exercising more to make up for calories consumed while drinking alcohol (p < 0.05). A statistically significant association was also noted between students consuming low calorie or fat free foods to make up for calories consumed while drinking alcohol (p < .001) and taking laxatives to make up for calories consumed while drinking (p < .05). There was a significant association between students making themselves throw up to accommodate calories consumed while drinking alcohol (p < .05) and eating less to feel the effects of alcohol (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Assessing self-regulatory and compensatory eating behaviors on the college campus identifies opportunities for improvement and provides valuable information that can assist with identifying resources and tools needed to support healthy behaviors on the college campus. The result of this study also has the potential to assist with shaping and creating policies regarding alcohol consumption on campus and create and expand nutrition and alcohol programs on campus to provide a supportive environment for college students. FUNDING SOURCES: There was no funding for this study.