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Teens often ignorant of energy drink ingredients, potential harms
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Teenagers and young adults often lack a basic knowledge about energy drinks, including ingredients as well as how energy drinks increase energy levels and could potentially endanger health, according to a qualitative study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
“Despite recent calls to tighten energy drink regulations and a growing evidence base of health risks associated with these drinks, many countries such as Australia and the United States have not enforced age-specific restrictions on their sale,” Jacinta Francis, PhD, from the Telethon Kids Institute, and colleagues wrote. “Although there is a critical need to identify ways to minimize the potential harm from energy drink consumption, there is a paucity of research investigating intervention strategies to reduce consumption among young people.”
To assess teenage and young adult knowledge regarding energy drinks, as well as their reasons for consumption and possible intervention strategies, the researchers conducted eight group interviews with people aged 12 to 25 years. These interviews were conducted in community groups and secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia. Following the interviews, two researchers conducted a qualitative content analysis through NVivo software.
Of the 41 people included in the study, 41% were male and 73% had consumed energy drinks. Those who consumed energy drinks cited enhanced energy, pleasant taste, low cost, peer pressure, easy availability and various energy drink promotions as their main reasons for use. Negative health effects, unpleasant taste, high cost and parental disapproval were barriers frequently mentioned by those who did not consume these drinks.
Through the interviews, the researchers observed that the participants had little knowledge regarding what constitutes an energy drink, with confusion noted across all age groups when coffee, sports drinks, nutritional supplements and soft drinks were discussed. Additional confusion was observed when the researchers discussed serving sizes, as well as the ingredients in these products.
Participants also suggested several ways in which energy drink consumption could be limited. Elimination of 710-mL cans of energy drinks, sale to children 12 years or younger and removal of the product from school settings were proposed. Additionally, those included in the study also supported using less appealing packaging, increasing the price of the product and limiting the prominence of energy drinks in retail outlets, as well as conducting research and providing education on these beverages.
“Parents and general practitioners appear to be key sources of energy drink-related information for youth; health messages delivered or modeled by parents during childhood were particularly effective in reducing energy drink consumption in younger adolescents,” Francis and colleagues wrote. “However, the current findings also indicated that influences and contexts of consumption can vary with age, because adolescents and young adults indicated that they would be more responsive to health messages delivered by general practitioners.” – by Katherine Bortz
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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