Determinants of energy drinks consumption among the students of a Saudi University

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Energy drinks contain stimulants mainly caffeine. The use of these drinks by university students is on the rise despite concerns about their safety. This study identified the determinants of the consumption of energy drinks in a cohort of Saudi university students.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This cross-sectional study was carried out at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Saudi Arabia. The students who volunteered to participate (n = 1255) were asked to complete a pretested questionnaire soliciting information on gender, marital status, class and college of study, pattern of energy drinks use, reasons for use, any benefits as well as any untoward effects experienced. Data was analysed using IBM-SPSS (version 21) to determine frequencies and compare various categories of the energy drink users. Logistic regression analysis were performed to identify determinants of energy drinks consumption.RESULTS:Out of 1255 participants, 245 reported using energy drinks. Out of a total 1255 students, 903 (72%) were from medical and 352 (28%) from nonmedical colleges of the university. There were 890 junior and 365 senior students. The female participants were significantly more among both senior and junior medical students. The age of the participants (mean ± SD) was 20.2 ± 1.9 years. The frequency of energy drinks users was higher in the male nonmedical students (both senior and junior) compared to the medical students. The most significant determinants identified were male gender (odds ratio [OR] 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] =3.34, 6.12), and being single (OR = 2.8, CI = 1.98, 4.24). In addition, being in non-medical field of study (OR = 1.3, 95% CI=0.61-2.13) was also found to have a reasonable association with energy drink consumption.CONCLUSION:We report male gender, unmarried status, and studying in nonmedical colleges of the university as the main determinants of the consumption of energy drinks by university students. Scrutiny of the patterns and reasons for the consumption of energy drinks might help in developing educational interventions to ensure the appropriate use of energy drinks by young adults.

Sociodemographic differences, prevalence, and patterns of energy drink consumption among Jazan university students, Saudi Arabia

“…From our point of view, males usually tend to get involved in more risks, physical activity, and careless behavior than did females [21]. Similar to a previous study, the frequency of energy drink consumption was higher in unmarried students, probably because they are younger and involved in a higher level of risk-taking [4,21,23]. As students proceed through their academic level, they experience a wide range of ongoing stressors related to academic demands, which encourage them to use stimulants like energy drinks [24].…”

“…Energy drinks are a type of commercial cold beverages containing caffeinated stimulant materials [1,2]. These stimulants temporarily increase the nervous system's functional activity and dopamine levels, leading to a feeling of pleasure [3,4]. People usually consume energy drinks to provide energy, alertness, and wakefulness [3,5].…”

Examination of Attitudes of Sports Science Faculty Students about Energy Drinks, Sports Drinks and Ergogenic Substances

“…When the use of EDs, SDs and ESs according to gender is evaluated, it is seen that the usage of male participants is more common than female participants. Similar results were found in a study conducted with the Saudi university students (Alabbad et al, 2019). The prevalence of ED usage was 40.0% for males and 19.5% for females (p: 0.027).…”

“…In the study of 1255 student participated; out of 1255 participants, 245 reported using EDs. Out of a total 1255 students, 903 (72%) were from medical and 352 (28%) from nonmedical colleges of the university (Alabbad et al, 2019). 159 people took part in the other study; 63.3% confirmed their use of various types of substance, including sports supplements and pharmaceutical product (Dominicis et al, 2017).…”

Assessment of the Relationship of Depression With Tobacco and Caffeine Use Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Early intervention could be vital to directing students' life paths away from high-risk behaviors such as nicotine and caffeine consumption. Further studies are recommended to determine if ED consumption among university students is higher than the general population, with a male gender predominance [51].…”