Abstract
BackgroundDespite concern regarding harms of energy drink (ED) consumption, no research has been conducted to determine awareness and compliance with ED intake guidelines displayed on product packaging in Australia (a novel approach internationally).MethodsA convenience sample of 1922 people completed an online survey. Participants reported their knowledge of maximum recommended daily ED intake according to Australian guidelines.ResultsGuideline awareness was reported by 38, 23 and 19 % of past year consumers, lifetime, and non-consumers, respectively. Amongst past year consumers, ‘accurate estimators’ reported greater ED intake and were more likely to exceed intake guidelines and consume alcohol mixed with ED (AmED). After controlling for demographics and frequency of use, guideline awareness predicted increased likelihood of exceeding guidelines in ED sessions, but was not associated with exceeding ED guidelines in AmED sessions.ConclusionsAustralia is considered to have the most stringent regulatory approach to EDs internationally. However, advisory statements are not associated with greater awareness and compliance with intake guidelines. Failure to comply with standards for efficacious product labelling, and absence of broader education regarding guidelines, needs to be addressed.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2685-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Despite concern regarding harms of energy drink (ED) consumption, no research has been conducted to determine awareness and compliance with Energy drinks (EDs) intake guidelines displayed on product packaging in Australia
Half the sample had acquired a diploma or tertiary qualification (48 %, 95 % 95CI Confidence interval (CI) 45–50), nearly four-fifths were currently studying for a diploma or tertiary qualification (78 %, 95 % CI 77–81) (60 %, 95 % CI 57–63) and approximately half were currently employed (48 %, 95 % CI 45–50)
This study has shown that less than two-fifths of all ED consumers in our Australian sample were aware of recommended maximum daily intake guidelines
Summary
Despite concern regarding harms of energy drink (ED) consumption, no research has been conducted to determine awareness and compliance with ED intake guidelines displayed on product packaging in Australia (a novel approach internationally). EDs have increased in popularity in the last decade: half of an Australian population-based young adult sample reported monthly or more frequent use [1], with research suggesting that the average age of onset for ED use is 10 years [2]. Consumers report negative stimulant effects of ED consumption, including headaches, heart palpitations, agitation, and sleeping difficulties [7,8,9], with more serious sideeffects evident in clinical data, after excessive. The negative effects of EDs are attributed to the primary psychoactive ingredient, caffeine, as the typical symptom profile matches that evident following excessive caffeine intake [14].
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