You Are What You Eat: The Impact of Nutrition on Drug and Problem Alcohol Use

Ryan D. Schroeder, George E. Higgins

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Experimental research has shown that nutrition influences behavioral deviance. Objectives: The current project addresses the impact of nutrition on problem alcohol and drug use in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods: The study relies on the daily dietary nutrition data and the substance use measures in the 2007–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: The findings generally show that macronutrients increase the odds of substance use and micronutrients decrease the odds of substance use, especially among females. In addition, nutrient imbalance is a particularly strong predictor of substance use for both males and females. Depression partially accounts for the relationship between dietary nutrition consumption and substance use. Conclusions: Nutrition represents a promising extension of the biosocial perspective in substance use disorders.
Original languageAmerican English
JournalSubstance Use and Misuse
Volume52
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 12 2016

Disciplines

  • Sociology
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • Medicine and Health

Keywords

  • Nutrition
  • alcohol
  • drugs

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