Energy drink consumption: comparing athletes vs. non‐athletes at a private college in Arkansas

Abstract

Energy drink (ED) consumption is increasing in the U.S., particularly among college students. We determined ED consumption patterns among students at a private college in Arkansas and assessed whether consumption differed in athletes vs. non‐athletes. An electronic survey was used to determine subject demographics, reported ED consumption and reasons for consumption, knowledge regarding caffeine content, and preferred resource for ED information. The survey link was emailed to the entire student population, with responses obtained from 223 students. Among subjects with complete data (n = 214), 77% (n = 164) reported drinking < 1 ED/month. Patterns of reported ED consumption were not different between athletes (n = 67) and non‐athletes (n = 155; p = 0.79), nor did these groups differ in their knowledge of ED caffeine content (p = 0.27). However, among students who reported consuming >1 ED/month (n = 52), 50% were unaware of their caffeine content, and 86% would choose the Internet for ED information. Our results suggest that while athletes and non‐athletes in this population do not differ in ED consumption, knowledge of caffeine content and of appropriate educational resources are lacking. Dietitians and other healthcare professionals should be aware of the popularity of ED in this population and their roles in providing appropriate education regarding consumption. Supported by Department of Dietetics and Nutrition and Graduate School.