Longitudinal Associations between Adolescent Electronic Cigarette Use and Eating Behaviors

Background: Despite emerging evidence that e-cigarette use and dietary behaviors, two high-impact health behaviors, may be linked, there exists a dearth of studies investigating this relationship. Methods: Data are drawn from two time points of a larger study, T1 (n = 217; m_age = 14.78 years), and T2 (n = 228; m_age = 16.43 years). This study examined the relationship between adolescent e-cigarette use at T1 and: problematic eating behaviors at T1, dietary intake at T2, and a two-year change in problematic eating behaviors. E-cigarette use was assessed at T1 via phone interview. Problematic eating behaviors were assessed at T1 and T2 via a self-report measure. Dietary intake was assessed at T2 via 24-h dietary recalls. Three multiple regression models examined the relationship between e-cigarette use and dietary intake, problematic eating, and change in problematic eating behaviors. Results: After controlling for demographics and combustible cigarette use, e-cigarette use at T1 was significantly and uniquely associated with greater cognitive restraint and emotional eating concurrently. E-cigarette use at T1 was not significantly associated with a dietary intake at T2 or a two-year change in problematic eating behaviors. Conclusions: Findings suggest that adolescent e-cigarette use may be concurrently associated with specific problematic eating behaviors, such as food restriction and emotional eating. This study is the first to investigate longitudinal associations between e-cigarette use, problematic eating practices and nutrient-level dietary intake. Results support further investigation into the relationship between e-cigarette use and dietary behaviors, particularly utilizing longitudinal designs and investigating potential mechanisms underlying this relationship.