College student ; Energy drink ; Affecting factors
Abstract
Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the patterns of energy drink consumption and associated factors in a group of college students in South Korea. Methods: Cross-sectional, self-report survey data were collected from 231 college students in November of 2012 and were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Students consuming energy drinks accounted for 81.8% of the entire sample and 40.3% of the sample reported that they mixed with alcoholic drink. The most common reason for drinking an energy drink was “To stay awake”, followed by “To relieve fatigue”. In logistic regression analysis, statistically significant predictors of energy drink consumption was alcohol drinking behavior. Conclusions: Consumption of energy drinks has been quite common in college students. Awareness of college students regarding potential health effects of energy drinks, in particular, those of mixing alcoholic beverage, should be increased through health education.