Abrantes AM, Kunicki Z, Braun T, et al. - Results from an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study suggested an association of sweet craving and consumption with alcohol cravings in adults in early recovery from alcohol use disorders (AUD). According to these findings, eating sweets may increase alcohol cravings. If future research confirms this finding, sweet consumption during early recovery may be identified as a risk factor for recurrence in this population.

• The authors employed EMA methods to monitor 25 persons for 21 days after they were discharged from a partial hospitalisation treatment for AUD (n = 14 women, 56%; M. age 40, S.D. 10.68).

• The results of the first model showed alcohol cravings were linked to sweet cravings early in recovery.

• In the second model, there was no effect of earlier-in-the-day alcohol cravings predicting later-in-the-day sweet consumption.

• According to the third model, eating sweets earlier in the day predicted higher alcohol cravings later in the day.