title: Changes in Nutrition-Related Behaviors in Alcohol-Dependent Patients After Outpatient Detoxification: The Role of Chocolate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported changes in nutrition-related behaviors in alcohol-dependent patients after alcohol detoxification, but prospective studies assessing the effects of these changes on maintaining abstinence are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess changes in craving and consumption of chocolate and other sweets over time up to six months after outpatient alcohol detoxification treatment and to detect differences in abstinent versus nonabstinent patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty alcohol-dependent patients were included in this prospective observational study. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on nutrition-related behaviors and craving before detoxification treatment (baseline, t1), one week (t2), one month (t3), and six months later (t4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant changes in craving for and consumption of chocolate as well as in craving for other sweets were observed over time. Increases were most prominent within the first month. Patients who remained abstinent until t3 consumed three times more chocolate than nonabstainers. One quarter of the patients switched from being rare (t1) to frequent (t3) chocolate eaters, and 84% of these remained abstinent until t3. No significant correlations were found between craving for alcohol and craving for or consumption of chocolate or other sweets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the first month after outpatient alcohol detoxification treatment, significant changes in nutrition-related behaviors were observed. These changes were not associated with alcohol craving. For a subgroup, increasing the frequency of chocolate consumption might be a temporary protective factor with respect to alcohol relapse.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte , Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stickel
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte , Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohdemann
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena , Jena , Germany.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Landes
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte , Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte , Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Banas
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte , Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte , Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany.
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D000069956:Chocolate; D066249:Craving / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chocolate; sweets; alcohol dependence; craving; outpatient alcohol detoxification