Abstract
Background and Purpose: Alcohol intoxication affects college students' eating patterns. Yet, little is known about dietary habits on the day after heavy alcohol consumption. The purpose of this study was to examine college students’ dietary choices during alcohol consumption and on the following day by gender and level of alcohol consumption (including none). Methods: Ethnically diverse undergraduates (N = 286; 52% male, 48% female, M age = 19, SD age = 1) at a public university in the Midwest completed an anonymous on-line survey. The survey included Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System nutrition items, items on consumption of "empty calorie foods," and open-ended response items on dietary choices that were coded by a nutritionist. Results: Participants reported differences in the likelihoods of consuming non-nutrient dense foods after drinking alcohol both before sleeping and the next day compared to at other times when they were not consuming alcohol. Conclusion: College students are more likely to eat after drinking alcohol and tend to consume less healthy foods. These dietary practices necessitate the need for customized interventions focusing on the dietary influences of alcohol consumption.
Highlights
Given that 65% of the US student population reports regularly drinking alcohol (Johnston, O’Malley, Bachman, & Schulenberg, 2012), researchers and practitioners need to address the risks and consequences associated with these behaviors
All alcohol drinkers were more likely to eat something before they went to bed after drinking alcohol than in general before they go to bed, F(1, 284) = 4.97, p = .027, Partial Eta2 =
Male heavy episodic drinkers were less likely to eat nutrient dense foods before going to bed when not drinking alcohol compared to the other groups, so this effect was larger for female heavy episodic drinkers and social drinkers, F(2, 269) = 3.45, p = .033, Partial Eta2 =
Summary
Given that 65% of the US student population reports regularly drinking alcohol (Johnston, O’Malley, Bachman, & Schulenberg, 2012), researchers and practitioners need to address the risks and consequences associated with these behaviors. If alcohol is consumed it should be incorporated into one's daily energy goal to avoid weight gain (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015). The survey included Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System nutrition items, items on consumption of "empty calorie foods," and open-ended response items on dietary choices that were coded by a nutritionist. Conclusion: College students are more likely to eat after drinking alcohol and tend to consume less healthy foods. These dietary practices necessitate the need for customized interventions focusing on the dietary influences of alcohol consumption
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