Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal
Introduction: Energy drinks are youth-targeted beverages that contain high amounts of caffeine and other stimulants. A number of deleterious health effects associated with consumption of these drinks have already been reported. Despite the health concerns, energy drinks research has been sparse, esp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ordem dos Médicos
2018-04-01
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| Series: | Acta Médica Portuguesa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/9403 |
| _version_ | 1811345288703508480 |
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| author | Albino Martins Carmo Ferreira Dinis Sousa Sandra Costa |
| author_facet | Albino Martins Carmo Ferreira Dinis Sousa Sandra Costa |
| author_sort | Albino Martins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Energy drinks are youth-targeted beverages that contain high amounts of caffeine and other stimulants. A number of deleterious health effects associated with consumption of these drinks have already been reported. Despite the health concerns, energy drinks research has been sparse, especially at younger ages. The main purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of energy drinks consumption and patterns of use among adolescents.
Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study of students aged between 11 – 17 years-old attending four public schools in Braga, cluster sampled. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to access sociodemographic data, self-reported academic performance as well as energy drinks consumption patterns, attitudes, awareness and associated symptoms.
Results: In a total of 1414 adolescents studied (mean age 15.1 ± 1.5 years; 53.9% were females), 56.7% reported to have used energy drinks at least once (62.5% in males; 52.1% in females). Of those, 34% described a regular consumption (at least once a month) and 14.1% a weekly consumption. The most common reasons for energy drinks consumption were the pleasant taste (49%), desire to increase global energy (35%) or sports performance (33%). On average, energy drinks users were older compared with non-users. Energy drinks consumption was associated with male gender and with self-reported worse academic performance. Approximately onethird experienced at least one symptom after consumption. In addition, 39.9% of energy drinks consumers reported mixing those with alcohol.
Discussion: Consumption of energy drinks has been increasing. The prevalence found for its consumption in this study is similar to that reported in the literature. Knowledge about motivation, general awareness of the risks or other variables related to consumption of these drinks might allow a better characterization of this behavior.
Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of energy drinks consumption among adolescents from a city in Northern Portugal, with self-reported symptoms after consumption and common concomitant use of alcohol. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:00:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1351c1ab6f074389a0b7d182dfb46704 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0870-399X 1646-0758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T20:00:54Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | Ordem dos Médicos |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Médica Portuguesa |
| spelling | doaj.art-1351c1ab6f074389a0b7d182dfb467042022-12-22T02:32:12ZengOrdem dos MédicosActa Médica Portuguesa0870-399X1646-07582018-04-0131420721210.20344/amp.94034712Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern PortugalAlbino Martins0Carmo Ferreira1Dinis Sousa2Sandra Costa3Unidade de Saúde Familiar S. Lourenço. Braga.Serviço de Pediatria. Hospital de Braga. Braga.Serviço de Pediatria. Hospital da Nossa Senhora da Oliveira. Guimarães.Serviço de Pediatria. Hospital de Braga. Braga.Introduction: Energy drinks are youth-targeted beverages that contain high amounts of caffeine and other stimulants. A number of deleterious health effects associated with consumption of these drinks have already been reported. Despite the health concerns, energy drinks research has been sparse, especially at younger ages. The main purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of energy drinks consumption and patterns of use among adolescents. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study of students aged between 11 – 17 years-old attending four public schools in Braga, cluster sampled. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to access sociodemographic data, self-reported academic performance as well as energy drinks consumption patterns, attitudes, awareness and associated symptoms. Results: In a total of 1414 adolescents studied (mean age 15.1 ± 1.5 years; 53.9% were females), 56.7% reported to have used energy drinks at least once (62.5% in males; 52.1% in females). Of those, 34% described a regular consumption (at least once a month) and 14.1% a weekly consumption. The most common reasons for energy drinks consumption were the pleasant taste (49%), desire to increase global energy (35%) or sports performance (33%). On average, energy drinks users were older compared with non-users. Energy drinks consumption was associated with male gender and with self-reported worse academic performance. Approximately onethird experienced at least one symptom after consumption. In addition, 39.9% of energy drinks consumers reported mixing those with alcohol. Discussion: Consumption of energy drinks has been increasing. The prevalence found for its consumption in this study is similar to that reported in the literature. Knowledge about motivation, general awareness of the risks or other variables related to consumption of these drinks might allow a better characterization of this behavior. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of energy drinks consumption among adolescents from a city in Northern Portugal, with self-reported symptoms after consumption and common concomitant use of alcohol.https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/9403AdolescentEnergy DrinksPortugal |
| spellingShingle | Albino Martins Carmo Ferreira Dinis Sousa Sandra Costa Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal Acta Médica Portuguesa Adolescent Energy Drinks Portugal |
| title | Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal |
| title_full | Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal |
| title_fullStr | Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal |
| title_short | Consumption Patterns of Energy Drinks in Portuguese Adolescents from A City in Northern Portugal |
| title_sort | consumption patterns of energy drinks in portuguese adolescents from a city in northern portugal |
| topic | Adolescent Energy Drinks Portugal |
| url | https://actamedicaportuguesa.com/revista/index.php/amp/article/view/9403 |
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