Knowledge, attitude and practices towards consumption of caffeine containing drinks among medical college students in Chennai

Abstract

Background: Indian population has been accustomed to caffeinated beverages since time immemorial. Globally, they have become the most preferred drink since the bloom of the twentieth century. However, unbridled consumption has been associated with many side effects. The objectives of this study were to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices among medical students with respect to caffeine containing drinks, and to determine the relationship between caffeine consumption and body mass index (BMI). Methods: It was a cross sectional study. Data was collected through a self-administered, pre-tested questionnaire after getting informed consent. The questionnaire was in a semi-structured format. Results: A total of 372 medical students took part in this present study, out of which 312 (83.6%) students responded to have the habit of taking caffeinated beverages, coffee (58.06%) being the maximum preferred drink and taste (49.1%) being the leading reason. Mean BMI was 22.16 with 50% being normal and, 16%, 17% and 17% being underweight, overweight and obese respectively. Withdrawal effects were experienced by 47.4% of students on stopping them for at least a day. 88.7% of medical students were aware of caffeine addiction and 62.5% were confident that they can stop over drinking them after knowing the ill effects. Conclusions: The study showed that students were not following healthy practises of caffeine consumption, albeit the knowledge of caffeine addiction, in terms of BMI. However, with proper health education and awareness, the students are ready to change their views and practises regarding caffeine consumption.