Binge eating and drinking among alcoholics at night clubs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

This study was done among alcoholics at night clubs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to specifically identify characteristics of binge eating and drinking, pinpoint binge eating episodes during binge drinking, and describe the awareness of the effects of binge eating during binge drinking. longitudinal design, participatory observations, conversational interviews and phenomenological analysis were used to collect and analyse data obtained from a population of 30 alcoholics, 12 waiters and 4 cooks, who were obtained using purposive sampling technique. The results reveal that binge eating is characterized by eating ugali or chips with 0.5 kg of fried chicken, pork, or beef,eating fried bananas with 1 bowl of chicken or beef soup, and eating only 0.5kg to 1 kg of fried chicken, pork or beef. They also reveal that binge drinking is characterized by drinking 3 to 5 bottles of beers within 30 to 60 minutes, 1 to 2 bottles of wine or a mixture of spirits and soda within 60 to 120 minutes, 1.5litres of water within 5 to 15 minutes after feeling exhausted and continue to drink alcohol, and pausing 20 to 30 minutes by laying the head on the table for a short sleep and continue to drink after waking. They further reveal that binge eating during binge drinking takes place more than 3 times within an interval of 1 to 1.5 hours. They finally reveal that alcoholics are aware that binge eating during binge drinking leads to obesity and overweight, money squandering, sleeping complications, blood sugar level increase, cardiovascular dysfunctions and cancers. It is therefore concluded that alcoholics at night clubs are hazardously engaging in binge eating and drinking while having basic knowledge of their detrimental effects. The study also advices government authorities to establish means of controlling food and alcohol services to sustain alcoholics’ health.