Consumption of soft, sports, and energy drinks in adolescents. The BEENIS study

INTRODUCTION

The wide range of non-alcoholic drinks are currently grouped as soft (carbonated), sports, and energy drinks, and all of them have a high sugar content, along with their known risk of obesity. Their consumption is increasing and in inadvisable circumstances also an elevated health risk. The real consumption of sports and energy drinks is not well known.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the habits and consumption of soft, sports, and energy drinks in adolescents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed in which questionnaires were obtained from 4769 schoolchildren from 13-18 years-old from Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain.

RESULTS

The prevalence of consuming soft drinks was observed in 92.9% of the adolescents, and was predominantly done during leisure time, during meals, or any time during the day. In sports it was 61.7%, mainly on practising the sport and in leisure time. In energy drinks, it was 49.2%, mainly in leisure time (they were mixed with alcohol in 49%) and on practising sport. The simultaneous consumption of the three types was 38%, and soft drinks were the most common.

DISCUSSION

A description is presented on the consumption of sports drinks, normally included as soft drinks, as well as the simultaneous consumption of the three types of drinks, and the time in which they are consumed. We have a diagnostic tool of consumption of these drinks by adolescents in our setting that will enable us to design and evaluate educational interventions in order to make the adolescent population and their families aware.

[Prevalence and associated factors to energy drinks consumption among teenagers in the province of Barcelona (Spain)]

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the prevalence of energy drinks consumption among 4th year high school students in the province of Barcelona (Spain), and its association to sociodemographic characteristics and health related habits.

METHOD

Cross-sectional study including 8078 students from randomly selected high schools in 41 municipalities. Sociodemographic and health characteristics were collected from the Questionnaire on health related habits. Studied variables: energy drinks consumption, sociodemographic characteristics, health related habits and risk behaviours. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. To analyse the factors associated with energy drinks consumption, logistic regression models were used, adjusting by sex and age and considering significance at p-value <0.05.

RESULTS

30.9% of the sample consumed energy drinks during the last week. According to the model, consumption was higher among men (odds ratio [OR]: 3.29; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 2.82-3.83), first generation migrants (OR: 2.46; 95%CI: 2.01-3.03), and children of parents without studies (OR: 3.15; 95%CI: 2.08-4.77). Not having breakfast (OR: 1.53; 95%CI: 1.17-2.00), practising sport (OR: 1.40; 95%CI: 1.11-1.75), regular alcohol (OR: 1.51; 95%CI: 1.19-1.91) and tobacco (OR: 1.79; 95%CI: 1.33-2.41) consumption, and a worse school performance (OR: 2.21; 95%CI: 1.47-3.32), were also risk factors for energy drinks use.

CONCLUSIONS

Energy drinks consumption is a prevalent habit among adolescents. Its pattern varies depending on sociodemographic characteristics, with gender playing a relevant role. Health related habits and risk behaviours have been associated too to energy drinks use. Further evidence regarding consumption and its risk factors will allow the development of effective preventive strategies.