Energy drinks, soft drinks, and substance use among United States secondary school students.
OBJECTIVE
Examine energy drink/shot and regular and diet soft drink use among United States secondary school students in 2010-2011, and associations between such use and substance use.


METHODS
We used self-reported data from cross-sectional surveys of nationally representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students and conducted multivariate analyses examining associations between beverage and substance use, controlling for individual and school characteristics.


RESULTS
Approximately 30% of students reported consuming energy drinks or shots; more than 40% reported daily regular soft drink use, and about 20% reported daily diet soft drink use. Beverage consumption was strongly and positively associated with past 30-day alcohol, cigarette, and illicit drug use. The observed associations between energy drinks and substance use were significantly stronger than those between regular or diet soft drinks and substance use.


CONCLUSIONS
This correlational study indicates that adolescent consumption of energy drinks/shots is widespread and that energy drink users report heightened risk for substance use. This study does not establish causation between the behaviors. Education for parents and prevention efforts among adolescents should include education on the masking effects of caffeine in energy drinks on alcohol- and other substance-related impairments, and recognition that some groups (such as high sensation-seeking youth) may be particularly likely to consume energy drinks and to be substance users.
From the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Yvonne M
YM
Terry-McElrath
Patrick M
PM
OʼMalley
Lloyd D
LD
Johnston
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D061215:Energy Drinks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D013287:Illicit Drugs