Abstract
Drug use disorder is a major public health problem. Once people who use drugs (PWUD) are referred to treatment, addressing their lifestyle practices and improving their quality of life improves treatment outcomes. The present study assessed the nutritional status and lifestyle practices among PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon. Furthermore, it explored significant differences in these parameters depending on the offered treatment modality, namely opioid substitution treatment (OST) and rehabilitation. In total, 187 PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery participated in this cross-sectional study. Nutritional status and anthropometrics, dietary intake, nutrition knowledge, food addiction, biochemical parameters, sleep and physical activity were measured using validated tools. Of the participants, 88⋅8 % were well nourished based on the Subjective Global Assessment. In total, 67 % gained weight during treatment placing them in the overweight category. This increase in weight was significantly higher in the rehabilitation group. It came in parallel with higher protein and energy intakes, higher rate of food addiction, and poor nutrition knowledge. Biochemical parameters, including fasting blood sugar, total protein, lipid profile and white blood cell count, were in the normal ranges. Moreover, the majority of participants exhibited poor quality sleep that was accentuated among the participants undergoing rehabilitation, in addition to activity levels that were mainly low in the OST group. PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon are subject to various vulnerability factors creating challenges to treatment. Longitudinal assessments to better understand health problems arising during treatment and to identify the components of a comprehensive health promotion intervention during treatment for recovery are needed.
Highlights
Illicit drug use is one of the most important public health hazards worldwide with 0⋅6 % of the world population suffering from severe drug use disorder
The present study aims to assess the nutritional parameters, namely nutritional status and anthropometrics, dietary intake, nutrition knowledge, food addiction and biochemical profiles, as well as different lifestyle practices, including sleep and physical activity, among people who use drugs (PWUD) undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon
Our results showed that PWUD undergoing treatment for recovery are subject to numerous vulnerability factors, namely excessive weight gain, poor nutrition knowledge, high food addiction level, in addition to poor sleep quality, and low physical activity level
Summary
Illicit drug use is one of the most important public health hazards worldwide with 0⋅6 % of the world population suffering from severe drug use disorder. Among young people, illicit drug use has reached epidemic proportions[1]. Drug use corresponds with unhealthy lifestyle practices and often results in a variety of adverse social and health consequences[2,3]. Whether via opioid substitution treatment (OST) or rehabilitation (detoxification or complete abstinence), addressing the lifestyle practices and improving the quality of life of people who use drugs (PWUD) seems to decrease the risk of relapse[4]. While undergoing treatment for recovery, a major shift occurs in the lifestyle of PWUD especially concerning nutrition and metabolism[5]. The increasingly available time comes to be filled with overeating, often resulting in significant weight gain, varying at different recovery stages[6,7,8,9,10]. The intake of the majority of micronutrients remains below the recommended levels, journals.cambridge.org/jns
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