Correlates of Caffeinated Energy Drinks, Substance Use, and Behavior Among Adolescents

Authors

Lauren N. Maziarz, Bowling Green State UniversityFollow
Lauren A. Dial, California State University, FresnoFollow
Bradley Fevrier, Bowling Green State UniversityFollow
William Ivoska, Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Wood County, OhioFollow

Abstract

Background: Caffeinated energy drinks (CCEDs) are frequently consumed by adolescents aged 10-19, yet the effects of consumption on adolescent behavior are not well understood. Previous research has identified positive associations between CCED use and other substances such as alcohol and marijuana but studies among adolescents are lacking. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis using data collected from the 2019 Alcohol, Drug Addition, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board/Wood County Educational Service Center’s youth survey. Ten public schools in Wood County, Ohio participated (n=6,152). Results: CCED use was common among our sample (43.4% overall). Reported consumption increased with age and was positively associated with alcohol use and cough medicine use. Furthermore, CCED use was associated with three behavioral outcome categories: anger, delinquency, and negative mental health outcomes. Conclusion: Due to the ubiquity of use and associated substance use and behavioral outcomes, CCED use among youth requires more attention.

Author Bio(s)

Lauren N. Maziarz, PhD, RN, is Assistant Professor of Public and Allied Health in the College of Health and Human Services at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Lauren A. Dial, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fresno, California.

Bradley Février, PhD, CHES, is Assistant Professor of Public and Allied Health in the College of Health and Human Services at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

William Ivoska, PhD, is a research consultant and evaluator for the Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Wood County in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge both the Alcohol, Drug Addition, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Wood County and the Wood County Educational Service Center for the shared use of data.

DOI

10.46743/1540-580X/2022.2198

Recommended Citation

Maziarz LN, Dial LA, Fevrier B, Ivoska W. Correlates of Caffeinated Energy Drinks, Substance Use, and Behavior Among Adolescents. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2022 Sep 26;20(4), Article 3.