Does Energy Drink Provokes Gait Modifications in Young Healthy Adults?

Energy drinks have become increasingly popular among young adults and athletes in the last few years. Despite their popularity, little research has substantiated the claims of the positive effects on physical performance of popular energy drinks. Most current research focuses on caffeine alone, but does not often look at how mixing it with other psychoactive substances might alter its effects. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the alterations of gait tasks after consumption of three popular energy drinks on young healthy adults. Methods: Fifteen women and five men were recruited, screened, and signed informed consent to participate in this study. All participants were healthy young adults with no apparent comorbidities that might have been impacted by the consumption of energy drinks. Motion analysis was conducted using Movement Lab TM sensors placed at key anatomical points. Subjects were asked for two bouts of gait tasks pre-energy drink consumption, and then repeat the same tasks after energy drink consumption. Results: There were no significant modifications in gait, however, observable trends were detected in postural gait parameters following the consumption of a Rockstar energy drink. Conclusion: We infer that the trends observed could be attributed to the specific key ingredients used in Rockstar and might have caused gait deviations post consumption. Further studies should focus on Rockstar alone and its specific key ingredients of caffeine, guarana, ginseng, and milk thistle to determine their influence on gait deviations.

Habits of energy drink consumption among teens in Slovenia – Focus group findings

Introduction Teachers in Slovenia have been noticing the increased consumption of energy drinks among pupils. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate habits that contribute to the frequency of energy drink consumption. Method 36 teens participated in the study: elementary school pupils (6th and 8th grades), general upper secondary school pupils, and secondary technical school pupils (1st and 3rd year). In the course of the study 6 group interviews were held to help investigate young people’s habits and their reasons for energy drink purchase and consumption. Moreover, we investigated the influence of age on the consumption and knowledge about energy drink ingredients, as well as their influence on the body. Results Interview analysis showed that energy drink consumers are predominantly secondary school pupils. Their choice most frequently depends on the price, their taste, or the brand. What influences elementary school pupils’ purchasing decisions are price, packaging, and advertisements, while secondary school pupils choose their drinks according to the lack of energy and how tired they feel. The predominant factors preventing energy drink consumption are health problems among family members and friends. Secondary school pupils know more about energy drink ingredients than elementary school pupils. Conclusion On the basis of these findings, we will design a survey questionnaire for Slovenian teenagers and teachers, didactic material, and suggestions for improving educational programmes.

Factors related to dietary habits, energy drink consumption, and physical activity in marginalized Palestinian schools: A cross-sectional study

Background: The current study assessed different dietary habits, energy drinks intake, body mass index (BMI) and physical activity and associated factors among Palestinian adolescents attending marginalized schools. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeted a random sample of 1480 students in the sixth andninth grades attending 20 marginalized public schools in the West Bank area of the occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt). Students were interviewed in-person by trained senior dental students about their dietary habits, physical activity, fathers’ employment and mothers’ level of education. Weight and height were measured, and BMI percentile was calculated. Descriptive statistics were generated for the study’s main variables and the dependent variables were compared by grade, gender, mothers’ level of education and father’s employment. Results: A total of 1282 students (98% response) completed the questionnaire. Of them, 6%were ‘underweight’ (fifth percentile or under) and 34% were ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’ (85thpercentile or over). Ninth graders had more added sugar than 6th graders (P=0.002), less frequent milk consumption (P<0.001), more frequent energy drink consumption (P=0.001),and less physical activity (P<0.0001). Frequency of carbonated and sweetened drink consumption was associated with being overweight or obese (P=0.016, P=0.001). Frequency of carbonated drinks consumption was higher among children of mothers with a high school level of education or less (P<0.001). In addition, children of mothers educated to high school level or below were associated with being underweight (P=0.05). Conclusion: Dietary habits and physical activity get worse between the ages of 12 and 15. Mothers’ level of education is an important factor in being overweight or underweight. Energy drink consumption among boys and milk consumption among girls are two challenges that need to be addressed urgently and adequately.

Social determinants and changes in energy drink consumption among adolescents in Norway, 2017–2019: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo describe the social determinants and development in energy drink consumption among Norwegian adolescents in 2017, 2018 and 2019.DesignCross-sectional, online, annual, nationwide surveys (Ungdata).SettingResponses collected online from January 2017 to December 2019.ParticipantsLower and upper secondary school students (n=297 102) aged 12–19 years who responded in 2017, 2018 and 2019.Main outcome measuresFrequency of energy drink consumption.ResultsOver the 3-year period, 66.4% of the men and 41.8% of the women had consumed energy drink once a week or more. The proportion of female high consumers (consuming energy drink more than four times a week) increased from 3.3% to 4.9% between 2017 and 2019; for male, the increase was from 9.8% to 11.5%. In females, the proportion of high consumers increased with 24% (relative risk; CI) (1.24; 1.09 to 1.41) from 2017 to 2018 and 46% (1.46; 1.31 to 1.62) from 2017 to 2019. The corresponding increases in males were 10% (1.10; 1.01 to 1.20) from 2017 to 2018 and 12% (1.12; 1.05 to 1.19) from 2017 to 2019. Any energy drink consumption as well as high energy drink consumption were independently associated with school level, less central residency, low socioeconomic status, physical inactivity and high leisure screen time.ConclusionWe found an increase in high consumers among both boys and girls between 2017 and 2019. The observed increase in energy drink consumption among adolescents can explain some of the increased sales of energy drink in Norway.

Effects of Energy Drink Consumption on Physical Performance and Potential Danger of Inordinate Usage

The rise in energy drink (ED) intake in the general population and athletes has been achieved with smart and effective marketing strategies. There is a robust base of evidence showing that adolescents are the main consumers of EDs. The prevalence of ED usage in this group ranges from 52% to 68%, whilst in adults is estimated at 32%. The compositions of EDs vary widely. Caffeine content can range from 75 to 240 mg, whereas the average taurine quantity is 342.28 mg/100 mL. Unfortunately, exact amounts of the other ED elements are often not disclosed by manufacturers. Caffeine and taurine in doses 3–6 mg/kg and 1–6 g, respectively, appear to be the main ergogenic elements. However, additive or synergic properties between them seem to be implausible. Because of non-unified protocol design, presented studies show inconsistency between ED ingestion and improved physical performance. Potential side effects caused by abusive consumption or missed contraindications are the aspects that are the most often overlooked by consumers and not fully elucidated by ED producers. In this review, the authors aimed to present the latest scientific information on ED components and their possible impact on improving physical performance as well as to bring emphasis to the danger of inordinate consumption.

Energy drink consumption among Australian adolescents associated with a cluster of unhealthy dietary behaviours and short sleep duration

Background Non-alcoholic energy drinks (‘energy drinks’) are high in sugar, as well as caffeine, leading to concerns regarding their suitability for children and adolescents. Despite this, marketing of energy drinks is often directed at adolescents, and there are no age restrictions on the sale of these products in Australia. The current study aimed to examine patterns in consumption of energy drinks among Australian secondary school students and identify sociodemographic and behavioural correlates associated with regular consumption. Methods Participants were 8942 students in Years 8 to 11 (aged 12 to 17 years) who participated in the 2018 National Secondary Students’ Diet and Activity (NaSSDA) cross-sectional survey. A multistage stratified random sampling procedure was used. Within the school setting, students self-completed an online questionnaire assessing their dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviours. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to examine associations between energy drink consumption and sociodemographic and behavioural factors. Results Overall, 8% of students reported consuming energy drinks on a weekly basis (‘regular consumers’). A further 16% indicated they consume less than one cup per week of these types of drinks, while around three-quarters (76%) reported they do not consume energy drinks. Regular consumption of energy drinks was independently associated with being male, having greater weekly spending money, high intakes of snack foods, fast food, other sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice, as well as short sleep duration. There was no independent association with other sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., year level, level of disadvantage, geographic location), consumption of vegetables and fruit, physical activity level, or sedentary recreational screen time. Conclusions While most Australian adolescents do not consume energy drinks, regular consumption is more prevalent among males, and consumption appears to cluster with other unhealthy dietary behaviours and short sleep duration. Findings support the need for policies that will reach identified at-risk groups (e.g., increased regulation of the marketing and sale of energy drinks), as well as suggest opportunities for interventions targeting energy drink consumption alongside other unhealthy dietary behaviours.