Eating and Body Image Disturbances in Adolescence and Substance Use Throughout Young Adulthood: Findings from the Australian Temperament Project

Abstract We investigated whether eating and body image disturbances in mid-adolescence were associated with substance use young adulthood. Participants ( n = 1566) completed the drive for thinness, bulimic behavior, dissatisfaction subscales from Eating Disorder Inventory during adolescence (15–16 years), reported frequencies of (tobacco, cannabis, binge drinking, other illicit substances) across adulthood (19–20, 23–24, 27–28 years). Adolescent was a 10% increase rate drinking tobacco smoking, effects being similar magnitude men women, The association between behavior smoking strongest earlier years (19–20 Relationships cannabis use, evident only. Findings highlight important targets prevention programs, as well focused monitoring efforts to identify individuals at risk later use.