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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2025, 27, 5

Nutritional status of heroin addicts undergoing rehabilitation in Sri Lanka. A glimpse into a neglected aspect of drug addiction

Nuwan Darshana, Champa Wijesinghe, and Vijitha De Silva

Digital Object Identifier:
https://doi.org/10.62401/2531-4122-2025-5

Summary: Background: Illicit drug use has a greater influence on the nutritional status of drug users. Many drug addicts neglect their nourishment as food and drugs may compete for the same brain reward sites. Further, drug use leads to a high metabolic rate, causing deterioration of their nutritional status. This study was conducted to assess the overview of the nutritional status of male drug addicts (90.7% heroin addicts) admitted to selected rehabilitation centres in Sri Lanka. Methods: The nutritional status was assessed among 431 male drug addicts in five rehabilitation centres in Sri Lanka. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Weight and height were measured using standard methods, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. A significant weight loss was defined as ‘losing more than 5% of usual body weight within six months. The chi-square test was used to identify significant associations with weight loss following drug use and at a 0.05 significance level. Results: The mean+ SD age of the sample was 31.7 +10.3 years. Out of the total sample, 89.4% had used heroin. Over 1/3 of the sample was undernourished (BMI<18.5 kg/m2). A significant weight loss was identified among 58.0% of the drug users. The older age group(p=0.002), having unstable income status(p=0.003), longer duration of drug use(p=0.029), and living with a person addicted (p=0.037) were more likely to associate with significant weight loss. Drug addicts having lower levels of education were more likely to have undernutrition(p=0.011), while none of the drug-related factors was statistically significantly associated with undernutrition. Interestingly, drug addicts having significant weight loss were more likely to have undernutrition(p<0.001). Conclusions: Weight loss and being undernourished were identified as significant nutritional problems among drug users, irrespective of their many sociodemographic and drug-related statuses. Proper nutritional interventions are recommended to improve nutritional status among drug addicts, especially during harm reduction programs, including rehabilitation.

Keywords: Drug Addicts; Illicit Drug Use; Nutritional Status; Undernutrition; Weight Loss