Health services may be missing the link between alcohol problems and eating disorders, study suggests
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A review led by Bournemouth University researchers has highlighted the extent to which people seeking help for alcohol problems may also be struggling with a second, hidden problem with food and eating. Despite this evidence that many people experience both conditions at the same time, support for eating disorders and alcohol recovery is provided separately in health care systems.
The researchers warn that failure to identify this link earlier can make it harder for a patient to recover and increase the risk of leaving treatment early.
Their findings have been published in the Journal of Eating Disorders.
The research team, led by Anna Preece, a Ph.D. student at Bournemouth University, reviewed 44 previous studies to understand how common this overlap is and what drives it. They found that both issues are often rooted in the same underlying difficulties, particularly trouble managing emotions, low self-esteem and impulsive behavior.
Bulimia nervosa was the eating disorder most frequently reported across the studies reviewed.
"Health care systems have well-established recovery programs for alcohol problems and disordered eating," said Preece, a Ph.D. student at Bournemouth University who led the study. "However, treating them as distinct problems does not reflect reality for many people with alcohol problems who also struggle with overeating, restricting what they eat or using food to cope with their emotions," she added.
The findings raise questions about treatment models that focus solely on alcohol abstinence without considering a person's relationship with food.
"Abstinence-focused approaches could inadvertently reinforce someone's restrictive eating habits, so more research is needed into integrated treatment for both conditions," Preece explained.
Preece's study complements a research project being led by her Ph.D. supervisor, Dr. Chloe Casey, which explores how support with healthy eating can help people recovering from alcohol addiction.
Casey, a lecturer in nutrition and behavior at Bournemouth University, has worked with recovery charity WithYou and the Friendly Food Club to run cooking courses for people with alcohol problems. Early findings from this project have been encouraging, with participants saying the physical and mental health benefits of a healthy diet are helping their recovery.
"People's relationships with food and alcohol are closely connected, and both can become ways of coping with life's stresses. When people experience alcohol problems, eating behavior can also be affected," Casey said. "When they seek recovery support, they may need support with their relationship with food too. Seeing this in my own family inspired me to explore how we can better support healthy eating alongside alcohol recovery."
While more research is needed into joint treatment plans, the authors of the latest study recommend that, as a first step, alcohol support services ask people about their eating behaviors early in the recovery process.
"Health care services are organized around diagnoses and specialties, but patients aren't. If alcohol services ask about alcohol but not eating, they may be missing a significant part of the problem," Preece concluded.
More information
Anna Preece et al, Understanding the comorbidity of disordered eating behaviour and alcohol use disorder: a scoping review, Journal of Eating Disorders (2026). DOI: 10.1186/s40337-026-01788-3
Key medical concepts
Eating DisordersBulimia Nervosa
Clinical categories
PsychiatryPsychology & Mental healthNutrition & Healthy eatingHealthy living Provided by Bournemouth University Who's behind this story?
Gaby Clark
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