Sweet Taste Preference as a Moderator of Links Between Internalizing Symptoms and Alcohol Craving

Strong positive links exist between mood, alcohol craving, and sweet taste preference. During alcohol abstinence, individuals have increased cravings for alcohol and sweets, in association with anxiety and depression symptoms. Research also suggests a substitution effect of alcohol with sweets. Thus, the present study examined the moderating role of sweet taste preference on links between anxiety and depression symptoms and alcohol craving.

Participants were individuals (N = 91) with alcohol use disorder (AUD) enrolled in a partial hospitalization program. Participants completed baseline assessments of anxiety and depression symptoms, alcohol use and craving, and sweet taste preference.

We found significant correlations between symptoms of depression, anxiety, alcohol craving, and sweet taste preference. Sweet taste preference moderated links between both depression and anxiety symptoms with alcohol craving.

For those with low and moderate sweet taste preferences, internalizing symptoms appeared positively linked with alcohol craving. For those high in sweet taste preference, alcohol craving remained elevated regardless of anxiety symptoms but appeared to decrease with heightened depressive symptoms. Should future research replicate this finding using controlled research designs that demonstrate temporality and causality, tailored early AUD interventions may be justified based on individuals' levels of sweet taste preference.