Restrained eating and alcohol use: Testing drinking to cope and impulsivity as moderators

The association between restrained eating and alcohol use remains poorly understood among undergraduates. Consistent with tension reduction theory, individuals with disordered eating may be motivated to drink alcohol to cope with negative emotionality. Perhaps what pushes them to drink despite restriction goals is impulsivity. The combined impact of drinking to cope and impulsivity on the theoretically complex link between restrained eating and alcohol outcomes has not been previously examined. The current study tested the moderating effect of drinking to cope and impulsivity on the association between restrained eating and alcohol use and problems. Undergraduates (N = 1,619) self-reported on eating disorder symptoms, alcohol use motives, impulsivity, and alcohol outcomes. A moderation model revealed that restrained eating predicted past 30-day alcohol use, but only for women high in both drinking to cope and impulsivity. These findings help characterize alcohol misuse risk among young adults who restrict their eating, thereby, results may inform interventions.