Smoking expectancies as mediators between dietary restraint and disinhibition and smoking in college women

Women's beliefs about the appetite and weight control properties of cigarette smoking, dietary restraint and disinhibition, and smoking status were examined. As hypothesized, dietary restraint and disinhibition predicted appetite and weight control expectancies and smoking rate, such that women higher in dietary restraint and disinhibition reported stronger beliefs in the appetite and weight control properties of cigarettes and were more likely to be smoking than those lower in dietary restraint and disinhibition. Consistent with previous research, smoking expectancies for appetite and weight control predicted smoking status and smoking rate. Smoking expectancies for appetite and weight control were found to mediate the relationship between dietary restraint and smoking, and between disinhibition and smoking. This relationship between smoking and dietary constructs should be considered in smoking cessation and dietary interventions with young women.