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Young adult e-cigarette users: perceptions of stress, body image, and weight control

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Abstract

Objective

With the rise in electronic cigarette (ENDS) use among US young adults, more research is needed on expectations for use and perceptions related to body image, weight control, and stress relief.

Methods

College students (N = 230; modal age 21 years; 68% female) completed an online survey assessing cigarette smoking and ENDS, dieting and body image, perceptions about flavors, stress, weight gain prevention, and appetite regulation.

Sample characteristics

Dual use (cigarette and ENDS) was reported by n = 69 (30.0%). Exclusive cigarette smoking was endorsed by n = 53 (23%) with exclusive ENDS use reported by n = 15 (6.5%). Ninety-three participants (40.5%) reported not using either product.

Results

Among those using ENDS, < 33% reported using as a stress management tool, < 15% reported using ENDS to control appetite, and > 70% reported using cartridges that tasked like sweets. There was a positive correlation between dieting behaviors and body concern, suggesting those who reported higher use of ENDS for weight and appetite regulation also had higher pathological eating scores and concern over body shape and size.

Conclusion

Prevention and education related to weight, body image, and tobacco are needed to address misperceptions of tobacco products.

Level of evidence

Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.

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Notes

  1. The word, “nicotine” was added to the question when the questionnaire was administered under the purview of the University of Colorado IRB (protocol #14-2122).

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Acknowledgements

A portion of these results were presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting in 2015. The authors would like to thank Dr. Sharon Hayes for her assistance with recruitment, as well as Katrina Hufnagel and Madeline Kirch. The authors would also like to thank Chelsey DuBois for her help with manuscript submission.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Prevention and Community Health, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    Melissa A. Napolitano

  2. Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    Melissa A. Napolitano

  3. University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, 1710 Red River Street, Austin, TX, 78712, USA

    Sarah Beth Lynch

  4. Westat Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD, 20850-3129, USA

    Cassandra A. Stanton

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Correspondence to Melissa A. Napolitano.

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Ethical approval

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of The George Washington University and the University of Colorado-Denver Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent

The protocol was deemed exempt by the IRBs; therefore, signed informed consent was not required. There was a process by which subjects viewed an electronic information sheet prior to beginning the questionnaires and then confirmed their agreement to participate. Contact information was readily available for the participant to ask any questions prior to completing the survey.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Napolitano, M.A., Lynch, S.B. & Stanton, C.A. Young adult e-cigarette users: perceptions of stress, body image, and weight control. Eat Weight Disord 25, 487–495 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-018-0627-6

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