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Consumption of Energy Drinks and Their Effects on Sleep Quality among Students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine in Zambia.

ABSTRACT: Background. Good sleep quality is cardinal to good health, and research has shown that it plays a fundamental role in immunity, learning, metabolism, and other biological functions. Energy drink consumption is a popular practice among college students in the United States. There has been little research done on the consumption of energy drinks and its effects in Zambian universities. The main objective was to determine the effects of energy drinks on sleep quality among students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to 195 undergraduate students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine in their second- and third-year of study. Energy drink consumption and sleep quality were assessed by univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. 157 students were enrolled into the study. The prevalence of energy drink consumption was 27.4% among participants. Studying for an exam was the most common reason for drinking energy drinks (83.7% of energy drink users). The majority of participants were found to be have poor sleep quality (59.6%). There was a statistically significant association between energy drink consumption and poor sleep quality (p value < 0.01). The findings of our study show that energy drink consumption is not a common practice in the Zambian university setting as the prevalence was 27.4%. Furthermore, the prevalence of poor sleep quality among Zambian university students is high and is significantly associated with energy drink consumption, and there is a need to better understand the patterns of energy drink use as well as their effects on various aspects of health including sleep quality in the Zambian setting. Further research should assess the knowledge of nonmedical students on the effects of energy drinks.

SUBMITTER: Mwape RK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6377981 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Energy drinks (ED) are caffeine- and sugar-rich beverages with other ingredients that are marketed for their energy-boosting and performance-enhancing effects. The consumption of these drinks, with and without alcohol, is dramatically increasing worldwide, despite the reported side effects and potential harms to consumers. Few studies, to date, have explored the perceptions and experiences of young adults towards these beverages. OBJECTIVE:The present study aimed to explore the consumption patterns and correlates of ED consumption, as well as the perceptions and experiences of university students in Lebanon towards these beverages. METHODS:A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was adopted. Data collection was conducted in two private universities in Beirut, Lebanon. A self-administered 36-item quantitative survey was first used to explore the prevalence and correlates of ED consumption among a convenience sample of university students (n = 226). The survey included questions related to socio-demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, and other lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity of university students. The subsequent qualitative phase consisted of focus group discussions (FGD) conducted to further examine the perceptions and experiences of university students towards ED. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted using survey data, whereas the transcribed FGD were analyzed thematically. RESULTS:A total of 226 university students completed the survey. Results showed that 45% of survey respondents consumed ED at least once in their life (ever consumers), among which 30% reported consumption of ED mixed with alcohol (AmED). Adjusting for socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics, coffee and sports drinks consumption were significantly associated with ED (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.20, 5.00, and OR = 4.88, 95%CI = 2.41, 9.88, respectively). In addition, physically active participants were 1.89 times (95%CI = 1.01, 3.51) more likely to consume ED compared to their inactive counterparts. During the qualitative phase, a total of six FGD were conducted with 29 university students, who reported consuming ED at least once per month. Three main themes were derived reflecting individual-, interpersonal/social- and environmental-level factors affecting ED consumption among university students. These themes were further supported by eight subthemes, including: perceived benefits of ED, experienced side effects, misinformation about content of ED, peer pressure and social image, as well as affordability and accessibility of ED. CONCLUSION:Findings highlight the need for public health policies and programs to curb the growing public health phenomenon of ED consumption amongst university students. Such programs should consider the multi-level factors affecting ED consumption at the individual, interpersonal/social, and environmental levels, including educational campaigns on ED potential harms, regulating ED content and labeling, as well as restricting sales and marketing of these beverages, especially among young consumers.

Project description:BackgroundAn emerging body of research has reported high consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks among young adults, particularly college students. However, little is known about adolescents' consumption of these drinks. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks and to examine its correlates among Canadian high school students.MethodsWe used a nationally representative sample of 36 155 Canadian students in grades 7 to 12 who participated in the 2010/2011 Youth Smoking Survey.ResultsAbout 20% of Canadian high school students reported consuming alcohol mixed with energy drinks in the last year, with considerable variation across provinces. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the odds of consumption of these drinks were higher among students in lower grades (grades 7 and 8) and among students who identified their ethnicity as black or "other." Consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks was positively associated with substance use (current smoking [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-1.95], past-year heavy drinking [adjusted OR 3.41, 95% CI 2.84-4.09] and marijuana use [adjusted OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.90-2.76]), absence from school, participation in school team sports and having more weekly spending money. Students who felt more connected to school and had an academic average of 70% or higher were less likely to consume alcohol mixed with energy drinks.InterpretationThe consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks is an emerging public health concern. Consumption of these drinks is substantial among Canadian high school students and can lead to many potential harms, both acute (e.g., injury) and long term (e.g., increased alcohol dependence). Our findings highlight the need for further research into the long-term effects of consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks among young people, as well as the development of interventions aimed at reducing consumption of these drinks.

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Consumption of Energy Drinks and Their Effects on Sleep Quality among Students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine in Zambia.

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