Abstract
BackgroundUniversity students use caffeine to cope with stress in spite of its adverse effects. The purpose of this study is to explore caffeine consumption among university students in Saudi Arabia, as well as its correlation with stress and caffeine intoxication. This cross-sectional study examined a convenience sample of 547 students at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU). A self-administrated questionnaire was used to assess caffeine consumption in milligrams per day, stress was assessed by the perceived stress scale (PSS), and caffeine intoxication was assessed using the DSM-5 criteria.ResultsThe mean total caffeine consumption was 424.69 ± 385.31 mg/day. High levels of caffeine consumption were found among students of non-health colleges and students who were undiagnosed with psychiatric disorders (p values <0.040 and 0.027, respectively). A significant positive correlation was found between caffeine consumption and perceived stress (p<0.045). Only 13.26% of all participants fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for caffeine use disorder. The majority of participants showed moderate and high stress levels (69.9% and 18.7%).ConclusionThis study revealed high caffeine consumption and perceived stress levels among female undergraduate students with a significant positive association between them. The results emphasize the importance of educational campaigns about caffeine consumption and intoxication. They also encourage the development of stress management programs. Longitudinal studies need to be designed for evidence-based intervention.
Highlights
University students use caffeine to cope with stress in spite of its adverse effects
Caffeine is highly consumed by female undergraduate students, mostly specially coffee, and the level is significantly higher among students of non-health colleges
Caffeine consumption levels are positively and significantly correlated with perceived stress levels, which were prevalent among the students
Summary
University students use caffeine to cope with stress in spite of its adverse effects. The purpose of this study is to explore caffeine consumption among university students in Saudi Arabia, as well as its correlation with stress and caffeine intoxication. This cross-sectional study examined a convenience sample of 547 students at Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU). Caffeine intake has positive and negative effects. Negative effects may occur when caffeine intake exceeds 250 mg, it can result in a condition called caffeine intoxication. Studies done on college students in Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey showed that 49%, 49.5%, and 58.99% of them use caffeine as a coping mechanism, respectively [2, 5, 6]. In order to deal with this stress and fulfill academic requirements, college students may consume caffeine in the belief that it can aid their academic performance [4]
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have