Dietary and Lifestyle Practices of People Who Use Drugs: Undergoing Treatment for Recovery in Lebanon

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a major public health problem that has a detrimental impact on health, substantially contributing to the global burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Effective treatments for SUD are essential to reduce the impact of substance use on both the individual and society. There are two main types of treatments used for SUD: detoxification (complete abstinence) or the opioid substitution treatment (OST). Once referred to treatment, a major shift occurs in the lifestyle of people who use drugs (PWUD) especially concerning nutrition and metabolism. The study assessed the nutritional status and lifestyle practices among PWUDs undergoing treatment for recovery in Lebanon. Furthermore, it explored significant differences in these parameters depending on the offered treatment modality. Finally, it examined the patterns and extent of weight change, and explored the determinants of weight gain among this population group. Integrated lifestyle interventions are increasingly being recognized as important components of routine care of PWUDs undergoing treatment for recovery. The findings of this study fill an important gap in this regard by providing the foundation of a framework for a health intervention program targeting nutrition and lifestyle practices of PWUD in treatment in Lebanon.