scholarly journals Risk-Taking Behavior and the Consumption of Alcohol Mixed with Energy Drink among Australian, Dutch and UK Students

Author(s):  
Sean J. Johnson ◽  
Sarah Benson ◽  
Andrew Scholey ◽  
Chris Alford ◽  
Joris C. Verster

The relationship between risk-taking behavior, alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences is well known. The current analyses were conducted to investigate whether alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) is related to risk-taking behavior and if there is a relationship between the amount of energy drink mixed with alcohol consumed, risk-taking behavior and negative alcohol-related consequences. Data from N = 1276 AMED consuming students from the Netherlands, UK and Australia who completed the same survey were evaluated. The analysis revealed that, compared to AMED occasions, on alcohol only (AO) occasions significantly more alcohol was consumed and significantly more negative alcohol-related consequences were reported. On both AO and AMED occasions, there was a strong and positive relationship between amount of alcohol consumed, level of risk-taking behavior and number of reported negative alcohol-related consequences. In contrast, the level of risk-taking behavior was not clearly related to energy drink consumption. Across risk-taking levels, differences in the amount of energy drink consumed on AMED occasions did not exceed one 250 mL serving of energy drink. When correcting for the amount of alcohol consumed, there were no statistically significant differences in the number of energy drinks consumed on AMED occasions between the risk-taking groups. In conclusion, alcohol consumption is clearly related to risk-taking behavior and experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences. In contrast, energy drink intake was not related to level of risk-taking behavior and only weakly related to the number of experienced negative alcohol-related consequences.

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Fozia Taj ◽  

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the managerial risk-taking, managerial competencies and financial service outreach of microfinance banks in Pakistan. Primary data was collected from 36 branches of microfinance banks (MFBs) in nine cities. The unit of investigation is the branch manager and senior credit officer of each MFB branch. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression, are used for data analysis. This study found a positive relationship between financial service outreach of MFBs and managerial competencies; financial service outreach also has a positive relationship with the risk-taking behavior of managers. There is a positive relationship between risk-taking behavior and financial service outreach of banks. The risk-taking behavior partially mediates the relationship between the managerial competencies and financial service outreach. The magnitude of the relationship between managerial competencies and outreach is significant, and its magnitude reduces when there is the mediation of managerial risk-taking behavior between them. Thus, managerial competencies, along with risk-taking behavior are the keys drivers of financial service outreach of MFBs. This study informs MFB’s top management and policymakers that competencies of managers and their calculated risk-taking propensities determined outreach performance of the MFBs.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Benson ◽  
Joris C. Verster ◽  
Andrew Scholey

Studies assessing alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED) use and drinking behaviors have been largely restricted to student-only cohorts. Thus, it is not known whether evidence from these studies is applicable to non-student populations. This study examined alcohol consumption and involvement in negative alcohol-related consequences among AMED and alcohol-only (AO) users, with the aim of determining whether drinking behaviors differ according to student status. An online survey was conducted in Australia to assess alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences following AMED and AO consumption, according to student status. The final sample consisted of 1369 participants. Between-subjects analyses comparing AMED and AO users, confirmed previous findings in that, compared with AO users, AMED users consumed significantly more alcohol, consumed alcohol more frequently and were involved in a greater number of alcohol-related consequences. Within-subjects analyses of AMED users comparing AMED and AO drinking occasions revealed that significantly less alcohol was consumed and involvement in negative alcohol-related consequences was lower during AMED compared with AO drinking occasions. Regardless of drink type, compared with students, non-students consumed more alcohol, consumed alcohol more frequently and were involved in a greater number of negative alcohol-related consequences. These findings provide further evidence that AMED use is one manifestation of a risk-taking personality and suggest that non-students drink more alcohol, drink more frequently and are involved in a greater number of negative alcohol-related consequences than students.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
pp. 1234-1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Peacock ◽  
Raimondo Bruno ◽  
Frances H. Martin ◽  
Andrea Carr

Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teri M Kozik ◽  
Mouchumi Bhattacharyya ◽  
Teresa T Nguyen ◽  
Therese F Connolly ◽  
Walther Chien ◽  
...  

Introduction: Energy drinks are presumed to enhance energy, physical endurance, mood, and boost metabolism. Serious health risks have been reported with energy drink consumption such as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, stroke, seizures, and arrhythmias. More than 20,000 emergency department visits related to energy drink consumption were reported in 2011. Little is known about the possible pathophysiological mechanisms and adverse events associated with energy drinks. Unlike the tobacco and alcohol industry, there are limited restrictions regulating the purchasing and marketing of these drinks. Purpose: To determine if consumption of energy drinks alter; vital signs (blood pressure, temperature), electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, calcium), activated bleeding time (ACT), or cardiac responses measured with a 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) Holter. Method: Subjects consumed two-16 ounce cans of an energy drink within one hour and remained in the lab where data was collected at base line (BL) and then during four hours post consumption (PC). Vital signs were taken every 30 minutes; blood samples were collected at BL, one, two and four hours PC and ECG data was collected throughout the entire study period. Paired students t-test and a corresponding non-parametric test (Wilcoxon signed rank) were used for analysis of the data. Results: Fourteen healthy young subjects were recruited (mean age 28.6 years). Systolic blood pressure (BL=132, ±7.83; PC= 151, ±11.21; p=.001); QTc interval (BL=423, ±22.74; PC=503, ±24.56; p<.001); magnesium level (BL 2.04, ± 0.09; PC=2.13, ±0.15; p=.05); and calcium level (BL=9.31, ±.28; PC=9.52, ±.22; p=.018) significantly increased from BL. While potassium and ACT fluctuated (increase and decrease) no significant changes were observed. Eight of the fourteen subjects (57%) developed a QTc >500 milliseconds PC. Conclusions: In our sample, consumption of energy drinks increased systolic blood pressure, serum magnesium and calcium, and resulted in repolarization abnormalities. Because these physiological responses can lead to arrhythmias and other abnormal cardiac responses, further study in a larger sample is needed to determine the effects and possible consequences of energy drink consumption.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (23-24) ◽  
pp. 5276-5291
Author(s):  
Alisa R. Garner ◽  
Laura C. Spiller ◽  
Patrick Williams

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a decision-making model of risk-taking behavior, specifically impulsivity, positive and negative outcome expectation, and sensation seeking, can be extended to motivation for perpetration of sexual coercion. Participants included 276 sexually active college students between the ages of 18 and 25 years old who completed a set of questionnaires: (a) Sexual Experiences Survey, (b) Sensation Seeking Scales, (c) Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events, (d) Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and (e) Reckless Behavior Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were utilized to examine the relationship between these decision-making models and sexually coercive behaviors. General risk-taking behaviors were positively correlated with acts of sexual coercion, r = .16, p < .01. The predictor variables accounted for a significant amount of the variance in sexual coercion, R2 = .11, F(4, 246) = 7.57, p < .01. Only sensation seeking contributed unique variance to our model of sexual coercion, β = .27, t = 4.06, p < .01. Interventions to reduce sexual coercion may be more successful if they target those high in risk-taking. Similarly, prevention efforts informed by research on how to engage and hold the attention of sensation seeking youth may be more successful.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuella Yayra Saku ◽  
Peter Nuro-Ameyaw ◽  
Priscilla Cecilia Amenya ◽  
Fidelis Mawunyo Kpodo ◽  
Paul Esua Amoafo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Consumption of energy drinks has become an escalating global public health problem. The work schedule and irregular sleeping habits of commercial bus drivers make them highly susceptible to getting fatigued, hence most of them consume energy drinks as a fatigue management strategy. However, consumption of energy drinks produces numerous psychomotor side effects that if consumed among drivers puts the traveling public in danger of road accidents. This study sought to assess the prevalence of energy drink consumption and awareness of associated potential health problems among commercial long-distance bus drivers operating from the Ho municipality. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 132 participants who completed a structured questionnaire on the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of consumption and reasons for consumption. It also included questions to assess the knowledge of the ingredients and side effects of energy drinks. Results A majority (62.1%) of the drivers had more than 10 years of commercial driving experience. A 75% energy drink consumption prevalence was recorded with driving performance enhancement (78.8%) as the predominant reason for consumption. 7 - 10 bottles per week were consumed by most (32.2%) of the drivers with the most consumed brand being Rush energy drink (54.5%). Also, 72.0% had poor knowledge of the side effects linked with energy drink intake likewise the ingredients in them. Conclusion Energy drinks were consumed by the majority of the drivers at the Ho main bus terminal of which most of the drivers had poor knowledge of the potential health problems linked with the consumption of these drinks. The consumption of energy drinks was observed to be higher among the drivers with lower education levels, higher monthly income and those who worked long hours in a day. The Ghana National Road Safety Commission (GNRC) in collaboration with other private road transport unions in Ghana should organize regular seminars for commercial bus drivers on the potential dangers and effects associated with energy drink consumption.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel R Kaplan ◽  
Ghufran Syed ◽  
Teri Kozik

Introduction: Energy drinks continue to be the fastest growing beverage market with sales expected to reach $60 billion in the next few years, yet have demonstrated adverse cardiovascular effects such as prolongation of the QTc interval on EKG. While QTc prolongation observed with certain drugs has long been used as an indicator of increased risk of torsade de pointes, recent data has identified the early repolarization interval J-T peak (JTp) as a more specific marker for proarrhythmic potential. Drugs that selectively block the human ether-a-go-go related (hERG) potassium ion channel prolong QTc by prolonging both early repolarization (JTp) and late repolarization (T peak -T end [Tpe] interval), and are associated with an increased risk of torsade. In contrast, drugs that additionally block inward late sodium and L-type calcium prolong QTc by prolonging Tpe but not JTp, and have demonstrated reduced risk of torsade. In 2018, the C-Energy-X study demonstrated QTc prolongation in 22 healthy subjects (mean age 28 ± 7yrs) who consumed energy drink while at rest and following short periods of exercise. Our study provides a secondary analysis of this data in terms of its effect on JTp, a potentially more specific marker for torsade risk. Methods: Using H-Scribe software, two evaluators independently measured JTp and RR intervals from C-Energy-X subjects pre- and post-energy drink consumption in the rest and exercise phases. Values were corrected for heart rate using the linear correction formula JTpc=JTp + 0.150(1-RR), where RR is R-to-R interval. Mean JTpc values from each phase were analyzed using a paired sample two-tailed t -test. Results: In the resting phase following energy drink consumption (PCr), there was a statistically significant increase in JTpc intervals for 77% of subjects by a mean of 10.5ms (baseline=234 ± 21.3ms; PCr=245 ± 22.0ms; p =0.015). In the exercise phase following energy drink consumption (PCe), 64% of subjects increased JTpc intervals by a mean of 0.8ms which was not significant (baseline=225 ± 15.7ms; PCe=226 ± 17.9ms; p =0.845). Conclusion: In the resting phase, energy drink consumption was associated with statistically significant prolongation of JTpc, suggesting a theoretical increased risk of torsade de pointes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Conrad A. Goodhew ◽  
Tracy L. Perry ◽  
Nancy J. Rehrer

Objective. To quantify energy drink consumption and influences affecting consumption in those who participate in or watch extreme sports. Methods. An online survey, informed by focus groups, was administered via Quadrics®. Advertisement was via social media, emailing extreme sport clubs, flyers at extreme sport locations, and word of mouth. Participation was limited to those >18 y who watched and/or participated in extreme sports. The study was conducted in New Zealand, with international online availability. Variables measured comprised age, sex, energy drink consumption, reasons for their use, extreme sport viewing, advertising, and sponsorship. Logistic regression models were utilised. Results. Amongst participants who completed the questionnaire (n = 247), the mean (SD) age was 26.2 (8.2) y, 40.5% were female, 57.9% consumed energy drinks, and 25.5% consumed >one per week. For every year older, odds of consuming energy drinks were 3.1% lower p = 0.04 . A 31% increase in energy drink consumption for every single increase of viewing extreme sport per week was observed p = 0.009 ; however, reported viewing of advertising was not associated with increased consumption. Conclusions. A large proportion of extreme sport enthusiasts regularly consume energy drinks, especially younger adults. Extreme sport viewing, where energy drink sponsorship is common, appears to increase their consumption, even if not considered advertising by the viewers themselves.


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