title: A survey of energy-drink consumption among medical students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency and pattern of energy drink consumption among medical school students, their knowledge of its effects and side effects and to see its relation with alcohol and cigarette usage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The descriptive analytical study was conducted at Marmara University Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey from October 2011 and January 2012. A semi-structured questionnaire was filled by students who were asked about their socio-demographic status and their energy drink consumption. SPSS 12 was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 390 students in the study was 20.98+/-1.96 years (range:16-27). Of them, 204 (52.3%) were females and 186 (47.7%) were males. Overall 52(13.3%) were smoking regularly at least one cigarette per day; 122(31.3%) were consuming alcohol; 127 (32.6%) had consumed energy drinks at least once and 73(18.8%)more than once. In terms of perception, 110(28.2%) students said energy drinks were similar to sports drinks, while only 121(41.1%) named the brands correctly; 96 (24.6%) students did not answer this particular question.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although consumption of energy drinks was common among medical students, the knowledge of ingredients and knowledge of health risks of energy drinks among them was unsatisfactory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seyhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hidiroglu
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tanriover
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unaldi
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sulun
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karavus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D061215:Energy Drinks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult