College students often misuse prescription stimulants to improve academic performance; however, recent research suggests prescription stimulant misuse is also associated with eating disorder (ED) symptoms, as appetite suppression and weight loss are a common side effect. As such, a recent study investigated if prescription stimulant misuse for appetite/weight-related reasons was uniquely associated with ED symptomatology. Study participants included undergraduate students recruited from a nonclinical sample (n=668, 79% female). Participants self-reported lifetime prescription stimulant misuse, motives, and ED symptomatology through an online survey. Lifetime prevalence of prescription stimulant misuse was 20.5%, with motives including cognitive enhancement (90%), recreational (46%), and appetite/weight-related (22%). Statistical analyses indicated that engaging in prescription stimulant misuse for weight-related purposes was associated with ED symptomatology, with the co-occurrence of both behaviors more common among students misusing prescription stimulants for weight-related purposes.
Take Away: This study’s findings support that engaging in prescription stimulant misuse for appetite/weight-related reasons is a unique indicator of ED symptomatology. Collegiate prevention efforts related to prescription stimulant misuse may consider discussing motives beyond cognitive enhancement, especially among those students at risk of an eating disorder.