A can of Budweiser contains 145 calories, about half as many as a slice of pizza. A shot of vodka? 65 calories, equivalent to the amount in a fresh Gala apple.
These types of calculations are becoming increasingly common due to the growth of a trend that a New York Times article recently dubbed "drunkorexia" - the altering of eating habits for the purpose of consuming alcohol.
Because of a concern with weight or calorie consumption, students, particularly women, are watching what they eat before they head out to a bar or a party.
"I've noticed that girlfriends will compensate calorie-wise. They know the calories in what they're drinking, so they eat less food, so they don't have to feel guilty," senior Eve Young said.
Young also has noticed that males generally eat more in order to consume as much alcohol as possible later in the night.
"With guy friends, they want to make sure they eat so they can hold their liquor, and they don't look silly," she said. "For guys, it's to be able to compete in terms of being able to hold alcohol."
Whether it is eating more or less, students generally alter their eating habits to some extent when they plan to drink.
"I've noticed some people will say 'I have to eat a big meal,' so they don't get sick, but others say, 'I am not eating tonight so I can get drunk quicker and not have to drink as much but still be drunk," freshman Becky Achey said. "I would say that the majority of students do one or the other."
"I have definitely heard of people, especially females, eating less because of the calories, but for me, I try to eat more, so I'll try to have a full stomach and try not to get sick," senior Vanessa Weekly said.
Young felt that avoiding sickness is typically a secondary concern.
"I think they probably know that it's not healthy, but the number one concern for girls is to watch their calories and their weight," she said.
Director of Health Education Ian Wong pointed out that these habits are potentially very dangerous.
"If someone says, 'I'll lower my calorie count today because I'm going to make it up on the back end,' alcohol is not the way to make up calories," Wong said. "If you take the food away, especially with taking shots or funneling a lot of alcohol in a short period of time, it will be absorbed faster. You're already putting your body under stress if you're not eating, and then you're also putting stress on your liver."
Wong explained that the type of alcohol students choose to drink can also make a difference.
"One of my concerns is sometimes I hear from women that they don't want to drink beer because of the calories, so they drink hard liquor," he said. "With the rate of absorption, it's not a good idea to go out drinking on an empty stomach, but it's an even worse idea to drink hard alcohol on an empty stomach."
The addition of intoxication to already unhealthy decisions can also compound the problems.
"The tricky thing about trying to cut calories is that, because you're on an empty stomach, you're getting drunk faster," Wong said. "Even though your plan was 'I'm only going to have one drink,' you might say, 'I'll have one more.' Alcohol is intoxicating and one can lead to two, two can lead to three, and three leads to problems."
Wong explained that both substance abuse issues and eating disorders can stem from this type of behavior.
"If somebody is planning their night of drinking or how to get drunk, something is up," he said.
Eating disorders and substance abuse issues also tend to go hand in hand, Wong said.
"From what I understand, the two are linked together. Fifty percent of people with eating disorders also have substance abuse problem," Wong said.
Wong encouraged students who are struggling with these issues, or who have noticed these behaviors in friends, to seek support from the counseling center and other Tufts resources.
"I want to push roommates and friends who will recognize it quicker than the student. They should feel free to come to the counseling center," Wong said. "With substance abuse, you never know when someone will seek help, and another person will see that they need help beforehand."
Even though eating concerns may prompt students to change what they eat, Wong reinforced that faster alcohol absorption makes any situation more dangerous.
"A lot of things can happen when people drink more than they want when they have an empty stomach. The absorption rate is higher," he said. "If the calories are higher, at least you're in control of yourself. It's not like the choice between the salad with dressing or the salad without dressing; a lot of times people lose control with alcohol, and that's the concern with substance abuse."
