Nutritional Considerations when Working with those Recovering from Substance Abuse

Healthy People 2020 recognizes substance abuse as one of the most complex public health issues due to social attitudes and political and legal responses to the use of alcohol and illicit drugs. There is a gap in the literature with regard to the interchanges between alcohol, drug, food, and behavioral addictions, especially among women. The search for eligible studies was performed using the electronic databases One Search, Academic Search Complete, LexisNexis Academic, MEDLINE, PubMed, and CINAHL. A total of 61 articles were identified and summarized in this literature review regarding nutritional considerations when working with those recovering from substance abuse. Overall, assessment of stages of change in substance use disorders based on readiness to change behavior, as well as changes in weight status, eating patterns, and other health related issues throughout recovery provides guidance to direct nutrition interventions.