HUNDREDS of thousands of British women have been labelled as suffering from ‘drunkorexia’ after many avoid meals to save calories for booze.

Startling statistics released in a poll show one in 20 women are regularly going without food in order to ‘make up’ lost calories with an alcoholic drink later on in the day.

Out of 840 were female drinkers, five per cent admitted skipping meals because they were planning to drink alcohol in the evening.

Health experts warn the worrying trend could be seriously damaging.

Despite saving calories for alcohol, Drink Aware advise “alcohol reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy” and so excessive drinking will lead to weight gain.

On top of excess weight, alcohol consumption may contribute to high blood pressure, liver disease and cancer – something which ‘drunkorexics’ might not consider as they ditch meals in favour of booze.

Doctors and drink charities also warn that alcohol contains ‘empty calories’ – and replacing food with an alcoholic drink could be depleting the body of essential vitamins and nutrients.