An Examination of Gender Differences in the Association of Adolescent Substance use with Eating and Weight Loss Attitudes

Using Illicit Drugs to Lose Weight among Recovering Female Drug Users in China: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

The population of female drug users has been growing in China, and these women have been found to care deeply about their weight. Against this backdrop, this study examines the relationship between Chinese women's illicit drug use and their intentions to lose weight, keep fit, and maintain a slim body shape. The participants of this study were 29 women who all had experience with illicit drug use for weight control. These women were drawn from a female compulsory drug treatment center located in eastern China. Semi-structured interviews with these 29 participants were conducted between 2013 and 2016. Expectations of losing weight and pursuing their ideal slim body shape were found to be an important reason for the study participants' initiation of drug use, its maintenance, and failures to achieve abstinence. These Chinese female drug users were generally satisfied with weight loss outcomes subsequent to drug consumption. A fuller appreciation of Chinese women's weight-loss-related illicit drug use patterns is much needed to help devise strategies and policies to deal with this growing problem. These include changing the dominant aesthetic cultural preference for thinness, paying particular attention to the functional use of illicit drugs in drug treatment programs, and having special interventions for women who interact with drug users within their social networks.

What is the face of new nicotine users? 2012-2018 e-cigarettes and tobacco use among young students in Italy

BACKGROUND

With increased use of electronic-nicotine delivery devices (e-cigarettes) and non-cigarettes tobacco products (heated tobacco products, shisha, moist snuff/snus) among adolescents, the percentage of Italian students who use nicotine products is at its highest level of the past ten years, even though prevention and anti-smoking policies have produced tangible results in decreasing tobacco smoking prevalence. This cross-sectional study examined trends in exclusive and dual smoking, identified new poly-consumption patterns and profiled old and new nicotine users.

METHODS

We used the annual cross-sectional ESPAD® Italia survey which sampled students (aged 15-19), currently used for surveillance and monitoring of at risk population, between 2012 and 2018 (N = 170,974) to describe Italian trends in exclusive cigarette, exclusive vaping, and dual cigarette and vaping use. . For the 2018 sample, patterns of poly-consumption were described, and a multinomial logistic regression (N = 15,732) estimated characteristics associated with exclusive and dual cigarette and vaping use.

RESULTS

The lifetime prevalence of cigarette smokers slightly decreased from 60.9% in 2012 to 56.9% in 2018, whereas the proportion of vaping users substantially increased from 32.9% in 2013 to 52.0% in 2018. Combining cigarette and vaping use, these trends result in an increase in the lifetime prevalence of any use from 60.8% in 2013 to 66.2% in 2018. Three out of every 10 minors have experienced smoking and/or vaping, and younger students were more prone to be dual users. Overall, current vapers were generally less prone to risky behaviours.

CONCLUSION

In contrast to a slight decrease in cigarette smoking, the prevalence of Italian students approaching old and/or new smoking habits in their lifetime is substantially increasing. The popularity of alternative nicotine-based products, particularly e-cigarettes, has increased among teenagers, resulting in a summation of usage patterns rather than a compensation, and attracting a novel slice of young users. The lack of regulation within current drug policy to limit the access to such licit psychoactive substance use, is urgently needed to avoid a future nicotine addicted population.

Eating disorder symptoms across the weight spectrum in Australian adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Despite known associations between eating disorders and obesity, little is known about the current prevalence of symptoms of eating disorders across the weight spectrum. This study therefore aimed to estimate the population prevalence of eating disorder symptoms in relation to weight status in adolescents.

METHOD

The sample comprised 3,270 participants (14-15 years; 52% boys) drawn from Wave 6 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) were assessed using self-report on the Branched Eating Disorder Test. This measure identifies clinically significant symptoms in the past 3 months according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition. Using study-derived cross-sectional population weights, the prevalence of each symptom was estimated for the total population and by sex and weight status.

RESULTS

The estimated population prevalence was high (14.3-25.7%) for body image symptoms such as fear of weight gain and overvaluation of body weight but lower (0.5-3.7%) for behavioral symptoms such as binge eating and compensatory behaviors. Symptoms were more prevalent among adolescents with overweight or obesity. Although most symptoms tended to have higher prevalence among girls than boys, boys with obesity had higher prevalence of binge eating and excessive exercise than girls with obesity. The overall estimated population prevalence for AN and BN was 0.20% and 0.10%, respectively.

DISCUSSION

The study highlights a need for clinicians to be cognizant of disordered eating behaviors regardless of weight status and has implications for both eating disorder and obesity prevention and intervention.

Tobacco Smoking, Eating Behaviors, and Body Weight: A Review

Purpose of review

This narrative review provides an overview of the relationships among tobacco smoking, eating behaviors, and body weight. The aims are to (1) examine the concurrent and longitudinal associations between tobacco smoking and body weight, (2) describe potential mechanisms underlying the relationships between smoking and body weight, with a focus on mechanisms related to eating behaviors and appetite, and (3) discuss management of concomitant tobacco smoking and obesity.

Recent findings

Adolescents who smoke tobacco tend to have body mass indexes (BMI) the same as or higher than nonsmokers. However, adult tobacco smokers tend to have lower BMIs and unhealthier diets relative to nonsmokers. Smoking cessation is associated with a mean body weight gain of 4.67 kg after 12 months of abstinence, though there is substantial variability. An emerging literature suggests that metabolic factors known to regulate food intake (e.g., ghrelin, leptin) may also play an important role in smoking-related behaviors. While the neural mechanisms underlying tobacco smoking-induced weight gain remain unclear, brain imaging studies indicate that smoking and eating cues overlap in several brain regions associated with learning, memory, motivation and reward. Behavioral and pharmacological treatments have shown short-term effects in limiting post-cessation weight gain; however, their longer-term efficacy is limited.

Summary

Further studies are needed to identify the exact mechanisms underlying smoking, eating behaviors, and body weight. Moreover, effective treatment options are needed to prevent long-term weight gain during smoking abstinence.

Association between illegal use of substances and suicidal behavior in school students: An integrative review of empirical data

PURPOSE

Investigation of the association between type of suicidal behavior and type and frequency of illegal use of substances (IUS) among school students (aged between 12 and 18 years), with a focus on gender differences.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A systematic review in PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Scopus was performed. Identified articles were published between 2007 and 2018.

RESULTS

Twenty empirical studies confirmed the association between IUS and suicidality, strongly differentiated between males and females, highlighting the importance of gender-specific mediating factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health nurses need to document gender factors, frequency, and motivation of IUS when screening adolescents experiencing suicidal behavior and IUS.