College students frequently engage in drinking-related eating restriction behaviors, with 14 to 40% reporting food intake restrictions on drinking days. This pattern is concerning because consuming alcohol on an empty stomach accelerates blood alcohol content (BAC) elevation, leading to more severe alcohol-related consequences. Previous research has identified several risk factors associated with these behaviors, including self-control, emotion regulation, perceived weight, and sex. While these findings provide important insights into potential correlates, research gaps remain in understanding how drinking-related eating restrictions relate to various alcohol use outcomes and which specific factors serve as key vulnerability markers for these behaviors. Therefore, the present study aims to (1) examine whether drinking-related eating restrictions are associated with various alcohol consumption indices, and (2) identify psychological trait factors (i.e., self-control and emotion regulation), perceived weight, and sex as potential risk factors for these behaviors.
The study surveyed 611 undergraduate students from a large Southeastern public university who reported alcohol use in the past 30 days. Participants completed measures assessing alcohol use patterns and related consequences, typical drinking-related eating restrictions, self-control, emotion regulation, and perceived weight. To examine the relationship between drinking-related eating restrictions and alcohol outcomes (i.e., quantity, frequency, binge frequency, peak drinks, and consequences), multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to test whether self-control and emotion regulation facets were associated with typical drinking-related eating restrictions. Finally, a multinomial logistic regression was employed to examine the association between perceived weight and typical drinking-related eating restrictions.
The study findings revealed that students who restricted their food intake in relation to drinking occasions, relative to non-restrictors, exhibited significantly higher levels of alcohol consumption, more frequent drinking episodes, increased instances of binge drinking, and greater alcohol-related consequences. Conversely, peak alcohol consumption showed no significant relationship with restriction patterns. Concerning psychological characteristics, individuals demonstrating greater self-control and more effective use of cognitive reappraisal strategies were significantly less prone to engage in alcohol-related dietary restriction. However, the use of emotion suppression as a regulation strategy showed no meaningful association with such restrictive patterns. Regarding body weight perception, after accounting for body mass index, those who practiced drinking-related eating restriction were less likely to view their weight as normal rather than categorizing themselves as overweight or obese. Lastly, the prevalence of drinking-related eating restriction did not differ by biological sex, with an identical proportion (20%) of male and female participants reporting reduced food consumption prior to alcohol use.
Takeaway: Drinking-related eating restrictions are associated with elevated alcohol-related risk, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.