(P20-038-24) Willingness to Use Alternative Tobacco Products Is Associated to Junk and Fast Food Consumption: Results From the MINERVA Project

Objectives: Recent studies have suggested that the use of alternative tobacco products (ATPs) is a significant predictor of cigarette smoking, particularly among young individuals. This study aims to evaluate the association between dietary patterns, specifically junk food consumption, and the willingness to try ATPs among non-smokers.

Methods: INERVA (My changINg lifEstyles, our Research, and eVeryone's heAlth) is an ongoing prospective international cohort study primarily focused on investigating the link between smoking habits and the dietary and lifestyle habits of participants. Subjects are given a web-based survey to report socio-demographic characteristics, dietary and lifestyle habits, smoking habits, and attitudes towards ATPs. This analysis concentrates on respondents from Italy who do not smoke traditional tobacco products.

Results: The survey included 7,535 respondents from Italy; of these, 40% (2,992 subjects) were non-smokers. Among the non-smokers, 219 (7%) were identified as fast-food consumers (defined as consuming fast-food at least once a week). Fast-food consumers were significantly younger (median age 33 years vs. 45 years for non-fast-food consumers) and exhibited no differences in gender distribution. They were significantly more likely to consume junk food as snacks (87% vs. 62%) and were less likely to report daily consumption of fruits and vegetables. No differences were noted in the frequency of physical activity. Notably, an evaluation of the association between dietary patterns and the willingness to try ATPs revealed that fast-food consumers were 2.5 times more likely to be willing to try ATPs compared to those who do not consume junk food (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.55, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.68-3.88). Likewise, junk food consumption during snack times was a significant predictor of the willingness to try ATPs.

Conclusions: Junk food consumption has been identified as being associated with an increased willingness to use ATPs among non-smokers. This finding is significant from a public health standpoint, highlighting the crucial influence of unhealthy eating habits in fostering an interest in ATP use. It underscores the importance of promoting healthy eating habits, especially considering that ATP use is a predictor of cigarette smoking.

Funding Sources: No funding was received for this study.