Though the link between alcohol abuse and eating disorders has been known of for some time, the term drunkorexia only appeared three or four years ago, and is yet to be officially recognized as a medical term. Originating in the US, it is thought to have initially been coined as a sarcastic dig at celebrities who party and drink to excess, but still manage to remain extremely thin. Over time, however, the term has taken on rather more serious overtones as it has highlighted a genuine disorder identified among weight-conscious young women.