Young, fit and unhealthy: 'weekend hedonists' bingeing to an early grave

Yet growing number of Britain's gym-going professionals, doctors warn, are secret "weekend hedonists", who endanger their long-term prospects by bingeing on food, drink and drugs to escape the stress of work.

The yo-yo pattern of behaviour, which particularly affects young women, may be even more damaging than a steady regime of daily excess.

The diet and exercise industry is going from strength to strength, as is the trade in health food. New figures from the Mintel organisation suggest that the market in organic and health produce has grown by 50 per cent between 2000 and 2004. Yet bingeing on food and alcohol is also on the rise, according to psychologists and campaign groups such as Alcohol Concern. Nearly half of all young adults are classed as binge drinkers by the Home Office.

Dr Clare Gerada, director of the substance misuse unit at the Royal College of General Practitioners, blamed long hours and stress at work.

"People work so hard during the week they feel they deserve the right to explode at the weekend," she said. "We are increasingly seeing this happen. People assume that if they stick to drinking their maximum units they are safe - that is not true. The risks of drinking to excess at the weekend are manifold."

Professor Stuart Biddle, a psychologist at Loughborough University, agreed that long hours at work was the main driving force behind weekend hedonism. "Come Friday, the cork is about to pop, literally and metaphorically," he said.

Professor Biddle added that people often exercised and drank heavily for similar reasons. "Being healthy makes us feel better, and many people do it for a release of tension from work - equally you can say the same about partying. They may be serving the same psychological needs, even though they contradict themselves from a physical health position," he said.

Alcohol Concern, the national agency on alcohol misuse, said it was very concerned that women "are choosing to abstain from alcohol during the week, but bingeing at weekends". Helen Symons, a spokeswoman for the charity, said that the number of women drinking in excess of the recommended weekly limit had risen by 70 per cent in the past 15 years. The Department of Health recommends that women drink no more than two to three units of alcohol each day. "Storing these up during the week to consume more at the weekend poses a threat," Ms Symons said.

When drunk, people are more likely to be a victim of assault or sexual assault, to have an accident or to have unprotected sex. It is estimated that up to 1,700 accidental deaths a year are linked to alcohol, and between midnight and 5am, 70 per cent of visits to accident and emergency wards are related to alcohol.

Dr Fred Kavalier, who writes for The Independent, said the dangers of binge drinking are not averted by a healthy weekday lifestyle. "Binge drinking may be fun, it may be relaxing and it may be one way of coping with a stressful week," he said. "But it's definitely not healthy."

Weekend hedonist

Lucy Nuthall, 30, has a job in education - and good intentions

Monday: Eats fruit salad, salad sandwich, steamed chicken and vegetables. Takes a 30-minute run

Tuesday: Porridge, prawn salad, chicken stir-fry. A 10-minute walk

Wednesday: Fruit smoothie, falafel, noodles. Aerobics class

Thursday: Toast, egg sandwich, mushroom risotto. A 30-min run

Friday: Fruit salad, spinach soup, garlic bread, pizza and ice-cream. Three bottles of beer. Yoga class

Saturday: Full English breakfast, fish and chips, buffet and cake. Two gin and tonics, three glasses red wine, two tequilas. No exercise

Sunday: Full English breakfast, scampi and chips, two ice-creams, Thai takeaway, lemon meringue pie. Four bottles of beer. No exercise

Dr Kavalier's verdict: "It is difficult to find much to criticise - until the weekend. She might be drinking way too much."

Daily indulger

Emma Wood, 22, drinks from time to time and rarely gets to the gym

Monday: Eats toast, egg sandwich, cannelloni, strawberries and ice-cream. Takes 15-minute walk

Tuesday: Toast, lamb, couscous, fish and chips, yoghurt, diet cola. Takes a 15-minute walk

Wednesday: Cereal, tuna baguette, chicken curry, fruit. A 30-min walk

Thursday: Toast, banana, potato, cheese and beans, chocolate, salmon. A 30-minute walk

Friday: Toast, yoghurt, pastrami sandwich, pizza and salad. Four glasses white wine. A 30-min walk

Saturday: Muesli, bananas, cheese and tomato sandwich, pasta and salad. Four mojitos. Out clubbing until 4am

Sunday: Bacon sandwiches, fruit, chocolate, chicken in breadcrumbs and chips. No exercise

Dr Kavalier's verdict: "Walking to and from the bus is good, but walking all the way to work would be much better."