The Energy to Smoke: Examining the Longitudinal Association between Beverage Consumption and Smoking and Vaping Behaviours among Youth in the COMPASS Study

Gender-Specific Clustering of Lifestyle Behaviors and Its Impacts on Cardiovascular Health

BACKGROUND

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors associated with cardiovascular risk manifest a clustering pattern.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to identify behavioral clusters by using 5 unhealthy lifestyle behaviors among the Korean population and examine the impacts of identified behavioral clusters on cardiovascular health (CVH).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The participants were 7898, aged 19 to 64 years. The cluster analysis was performed using the behaviors of current smoking, binge drinking, physical inactivity, insufficient fruit intake, and sugar-sweetened beverage drinking. Cardiovascular health was defined as a composite modified z score calculated using biophysical factors.

RESULTS

Men manifested 4 clusters (ie, risky binge drinkers, dominant smokers, dominant sugar-sweetened beverage drinkers, and nonsubstance/low-fruit eaters) characterized predominantly by substance use; women had 4 clusters (ie, substance users, physically inactive/low-fruit eaters, physically inactive/fruit eaters, and active adherers) characterized predominantly by physical inactivity. Among men, the clusters of dominant smokers and risky binge drinkers had significantly lower CVH scores than those with poor eating behaviors. Among women, the clusters of substance users and physically inactive/low-fruit eaters had significantly lower CVH scores than the active adherers. All the clusters in men had lower CVH scores than the worst cluster in women.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a gender difference in the clustering pattern. The clusters with smoking and binge drinking in men and women were associated with negative impacts on CVH. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the clustering pattern to design an efficient lifestyle intervention for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Consumption of energy drinks by children and young people: a systematic review examining evidence of physical effects and consumer attitudes

OBJECTIVE

To update an earlier review, published in 2016, on the health and other outcomes associated with children and young people's consumption of energy drinks (EDs).

STUDY DESIGN

Review article.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Systematic searches of nine databases (ASSIA, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, DARE, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science) retrieved original articles reporting the effects of EDs experienced by children and young people up to the age of 21 years. Searches were restricted by publication dates (January 2016 to July 2022) and language (English). Studies assessed as being weak were excluded from the review. Included studies underwent narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

A total of 57 studies were included. Boys consumed EDs more than girls. Many studies reported a strong positive association between ED consumption and smoking, alcohol use, binge drinking, other substance use and the intentions to initiate these behaviours. Sensation-seeking and delinquent behaviours were positively associated with ED consumption, as were short sleep duration, poor sleep quality and low academic performance. Additional health effects noted in the updated review included increased risk of suicide, psychological distress, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, depressive and panic behaviours, allergic diseases, insulin resistance, dental caries and erosive tooth wear.

CONCLUSIONS

This review adds to the growing evidence that ED consumption by children and young people is associated with numerous adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Where feasible and ethical, additional longitudinal studies are required to ascertain causality. The precautionary principle should be considered in regulatory policy and restriction of ED sales to this population.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION

CRD42021255484.

Energy drinks, substance use, and posttraumatic stress symptoms among Palestinian athletes: the mediating role of perceived self-efficacy and resilience

The current study aimed to test the association between energy drinks, substance use, and posttraumatic stress symptoms, and the mediating role of perceived self-efficacy and resilience among Palestinian athletes. The sample of our study consisted of 480 Palestinian athletes: 160 women and 320 men, all were selected from five Palestinian universities located in the West Bank of Palestine. The findings of our study revealed that energy drinks positively correlated with substance abuse, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. In addition, a negative association was found between perceived self-efficacy, substance use, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Moreover, a negative association was found between resilience, substance use, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results of Structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that resilience and perceived self-efficacy mediated the association between energy drinks, substance use and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Our findings underline the importance of enhancing resilience and perceived self-efficacy among athletes to prevent initial substance use/misuse, as several traits found in resilient athletes such as high self-esteem, empathy, help-seeking, and self-awareness are important in deterring athletes from engaging in harmful substances like tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours of Adolescents and Young Adult Population on the Use of E-Cigarettes or Personal Vaporizer

The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cig) or personal vaporizers (PV) has increased in recent years, especially among adolescents and adults, increasing risk factors for their health or being a starting point for other risk behaviours. The aim of our study is to learn the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of the adolescent and young adult population on the use of e-cigarettes or PVs. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 375 subjects. The use of e-cigs or PVs was measured using a self-administered questionnaire. Overall, 13.33% of the respondents used e-cigarettes or PVs. A correlation could be established between vape use and age, with 14-18-year-olds being the highest users (25.9%). Additionally, 90.13% of the respondents answered that e-cig or PV use was harmful to health. Other behaviours, such as consumption of energy drinks (ED), increases the probability of vaping by 3.08 times (CI = 1.55-6.29; p = 0.001). Subjects aged 23-26 years and 27-34 years are less likely to vape than subjects aged 14-18 years (OR = 0.31: CI = 0.09-0.96; p = 0.044; OR = 0.07: CI = 0.00-0.63; p = 0.037). The same applies to subjects with secondary education (OR = 0.17: CI = 0.04-0.66; p = 0.011) and postgraduate education (OR = 0.07: CI = 0.06-1.19; p = 0.043), than subjects with primary education. The use of e-cigs and PVs starts at an early age, despite the known harmful effects of e-cigs and PVs. Their use may occur mainly in recreational situations and in association with other substances such as ED.