Exploring risk factors of food and alcohol disturbance (FAD) in U.S. college students

Purpose Current research examining mental health and history of childhood trauma as risk factors of food and alcohol disturbance (FAD) is limited. College students may be at greater risk to engage in FAD behaviors because of the common co-occurrence of alcohol misuse and disordered eating behaviors within college populations. Therefore, the current study examined anxiety, depression, and adverse childhood experiences as possible risk factors of FAD behaviors in a college student sample. Methods Two-hundred and seven undergraduate students from a large Midwest university completed a cross-sectional survey assessing history of adverse childhood experiences, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, FAD behaviors, and frequency of alcohol use. Results Current symptoms of generalized anxiety were significantly associated with engagement in FAD behaviors (Alcohol Effects subscale, β = 0.13, F (1, 204) = 4.10, p = 0.04; Bulimia subscale, β = 0.17, F (1, 204) = 6.19, p = 0.01; Diet and Exercise subscale, β = 0.19, F (1, 204) = 9.05, p < 0.01). Adverse childhood experiences were associated with engagement in FAD behaviors (Alcohol Effects subscale, β = 0.14, F(1, 204) = 4.27, p = 0.04). Current depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with FAD behaviors. Conclusions Study findings suggest that students who experience greater current symptoms of anxiety are at a greater risk to engage in FAD behaviors. Further understanding the role of anxiety in the development and maintenance of FAD behaviors may provide clinically useful information for the prevention and treatment of FAD behaviors. These findings highlight the need for further research to examine psychological distress as a risk factor for engagement in FAD behaviors longitudinally, in a larger, more diverse study sample. Level of evidence Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.