Non-medical use of prescription stimulants for weight loss, disordered eating, and body image.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational survey
PubMed 25064292 · doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2014.04.019
What was done
A cross-sectional online survey of 707 college students assessed the prevalence and correlates of non-medical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS, such as Adderall and Ritalin) in general and specifically for weight loss, along with disordered eating behaviors and attitudes, body image concerns, and recreational drug use.
What was found
Overall, 4.4% of participants reported NMUPS for weight loss, with 56.7% of those users reporting receiving the medication from friends. NMUPS for weight loss was associated with higher body image concerns and higher eating disorder symptomatology. Vomiting for weight loss as well as laxative, diet pill, or diuretic use were robustly associated with NMUPS for weight loss. Exact numerical effect sizes and statistical test values were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study highlights non-medical prescription stimulant misuse as a peer-distributed weight control strategy among young adults that co-occurs with severe disordered eating and compensatory purging behaviors.
Limits
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality or temporal order. The sample was restricted to college students, limiting generalizability. Data relied entirely on self-report without objective verification, and the abstract omits quantitative effect sizes and confidence intervals.
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