Abstract
Background: Caffeine is a highly used stimulant on college campuses. The prevalence of energy drinks, especially among the younger generations is cause for concern. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the caffeine intake habits of college students and the perception of its effects. Method: The method used was quantitative, cross-sectional, with a descriptive design. The two research questions were: (1) What are the caffeine intake habits of college students? (2) What are the perceptions of the effects of caffeine use among college students? This study was conducted at a college campus in northern Indiana, USA. Participants included 120 male and female students ages 18 years and older. The health belief model was used to guide this study. Results: The study indicated that while caffeine is a commonly used stimulant across campus, overuse was not revealed. Many students reported being able to go 48-72 hours without caffeine and not experiencing withdrawal symptoms when going without it. However, most students do report that they perceive a need to decrease their use of caffeine, as caffeine use has increased since attending college. Conclusion: The review of the literature indicated that the use of caffeine was higher in younger people. However, the research completed as a part of this study from college students indicated that caffeine overuse may not be as prevalent as previously thought.
Highlights
Caffeinated beverages have been a common commodity on college campuses for many years
The health belief model was applied to this study by examining perceptions of college-aged students in relation to caffeine
This study addressed the caffeine intake habits of college students and whether they perceived it as a problem
Summary
Caffeinated beverages have been a common commodity on college campuses for many years. Based on the review of the literature, a gap was detected regarding the effects of caffeine use among college students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the caffeine intake habits of college students and their perception of its effects. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the caffeine intake habits of college students and the perception of its effects. Kadey (2016) warned that cardiovascular complications, insomnia, poor dietary choices, risky behavior, ‘sugar blues,’ and dental problems are some of the many potential harms of caffeine These side effects can be responsible for creating other health concerns after years of use. Many college students use caffeine to accomplish everything they need to do without thinking about the harm that it may be doing to their http://journal.julypress.com/index.php/jed
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