Use of Energy Drinks Among Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: Energy drinks are widely consumed among young people, although they have serious side effects. This study is intended to describe the relations between variables such as socio-demographic characteristics, daily habits, consumption of energy drinks, and its frequency among participants.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive research is a survey of consecutive patients aged between 10 and 18 years who admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Outpatient Clinic of Diyarbakır Pediatric Diseases Hospital between November 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020. Note that the frequency distribution and averages were found and categorical data were compared using the chi-square test while numerical data were compared using the independent sample t test.Results: Note that 503 participants were included in the study; the mean age of the participants was 16.0±1.9 years, 59.4% (n=299), of which were male. Moreover, 64.2% (n=323), of the participants consumed energy drinks with 65.3% (n=211) consuming one can per week; 45.5% (n=147) of participants consumed energy drinks out of curiosity. Moreover, as the level of education and income of the participants and the parents decreased, the consumption of energy drinks increased, and this was statistically significant. Alcohol, smoking, and substance use increased the rate of energy drinks consumption, which was found to be statistically significant.Conclusion: Educational programs should be planned to inform the whole society, and especially children and adolescents with low socioeconomic status and educational background about the damages to health caused by energy drinks consumption. Moreover, it is necessary to review the legal regulations for the sale and marketing of energy drinks.Keywords: energy drinks, consumption, adolescents