Food Restriction on Drinking Days Worsened Outcomes for College Students Using Alcohol and Marijuana
College students who restricted food on days they used alcohol, marijuana, or both experienced more substance-related consequences than those who did not restrict food.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Among past 30-day marijuana users, hours spent high and food restriction on use days independently predicted greater marijuana-related consequences. For simultaneous alcohol and marijuana users, food restriction moderated the effect of marijuana quantity on marijuana consequences. Alcohol quantity and food restriction independently predicted alcohol consequences among drinkers.
Key Numbers
901 college students surveyed. Among drinkers: alcohol quantity and food restriction independently predicted consequences. Among marijuana users: hours high and food restriction independently predicted consequences. Food restriction on SAM days moderated marijuana quantity's effect on consequences.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 901 college students examining associations between substance use (alcohol, marijuana, simultaneous use), food restriction on substance use days, and negative consequences. Hierarchical regression tested main effects and interactions.
Why This Research Matters
Simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use is increasingly common among college students. This study identifies food restriction as an additional risk factor that amplifies negative outcomes, a pattern that could inform campus prevention programs.
The Bigger Picture
The intersection of disordered eating behaviors and substance use in college populations is understudied. This research suggests that food restriction around substance use represents a compounding risk factor worth addressing in prevention efforts.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design prevents causal conclusions. Self-reported substance use and food restriction. Single university sample limits generalizability. Food restriction motivations (weight control, forgetting to eat, financial) were not distinguished.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why do students restrict food on substance use days?
- ?Would addressing food restriction reduce substance-related consequences?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional survey design with self-reported data from a single university places this at preliminary evidence.
- Study Age:
- Recent cross-sectional survey of US college students.
- Original Title:
- Associations Between Food Restriction, Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Co-Use, and Consequences Among College Students.
- Published In:
- Substance use & misuse, 60(5), 704-714 (2025)
- Authors:
- Shute, Ireland M(2), Fitzke, Reagan E(3), Buch, Keegan D(2), Brown, Megan E, Prince, Mark A, Murray, Stuart B, Pedersen, Eric R
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07653
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why would skipping meals make marijuana effects worse?
The study did not test mechanisms, but food restriction may alter metabolism, increase intoxication, or interact with substance effects in ways that increase the risk of negative consequences.
Is using alcohol and marijuana together more risky?
This study focused on how food restriction interacts with substance use patterns. It found that food restriction amplified marijuana-related consequences specifically among simultaneous users.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07653APA
Shute, Ireland M; Fitzke, Reagan E; Buch, Keegan D; Brown, Megan E; Prince, Mark A; Murray, Stuart B; Pedersen, Eric R. (2025). Associations Between Food Restriction, Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Co-Use, and Consequences Among College Students.. Substance use & misuse, 60(5), 704-714. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2024.2447419
MLA
Shute, Ireland M, et al. "Associations Between Food Restriction, Alcohol and Marijuana Use and Co-Use, and Consequences Among College Students.." Substance use & misuse, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2024.2447419
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Associations Between Food Restriction, Alcohol and Marijuana..." RTHC-07653. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/shute-2025-associations-between-food-restriction
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.