Abstract
Objective:To evaluate the consumption, prevalence, side effects and awareness of energy drinks among female university students in Saudi Arabia.Methods:A quantitative research design was implied with sample size of 358 female students, recruited from Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. The data, gathered through self-administered questionnaire, was analyzed through SPSS version 20.0 with p value <0.005 deemed statistically significant.Results:From the sample of 358 female students, 337 attempted the questionnaire from which 274 students were identified as energy drink consumers. The reasons for increased consumption of energy drinks mainly include giving company to friends (59.4%), better performance in exams (41.2%), and better concentration in studies (39.4%). The most common side effect was headache (32.3%), and the least was identified as allergy (2%). Only 39.4% and 29.9% of students acquired awareness regarding the harmful effects of energy drink consumption during pregnancy and breast feeding respectively.Conclusion:A significant proportion of female students at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz have reported to consume energy drinks regularly with several adverse effects. The government of Saudi Arabia should take serious initiatives towards organizing effective awareness programs specifically in universities and colleges to control the consumption of energy drinks and educate on the adverse effects.
Highlights
The consumption of energy drinks is a common trend among youth, which is increasing at a constant rate
The research in this study indicated the availability of energy drinks in markets, and café of colleges and universities, where no proper information was provided for the adverse effects
The present study has reported company of friends (59.4%) as most common reason for energy drinks usage among female students
Summary
The consumption of energy drinks is a common trend among youth, which is increasing at a constant rate. Carbohydrates, caffeine, glucuronolactone, and patanol are common ingredients, which are used to prepare energy drinks. Vitamin B and proprietary substances are used in energy drinks.[1] In the European markets; the demand for energy drinks has been increased for more than a decade. The energy drinks were banned in Turkey due to presence of higher level of caffeine. The effects were found due to high content of caffeine in energy drinks, which included increase in stamina and alertness that is attractive for the young people or students going to work or college. The excessive amount of caffeine in energy drinks can work as
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
