title: Energy drink consumption in Italian university students: food habits and lifestyle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the consumption of ED (Energy drink) among young people, both alone and in association with alcohol, as well as the food habits and lifestyle of ED consumers.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous closed-ended questionnaire, was administered to a sample of students. The questionnaire is composed of 30 questions with multiple answers. The students, who come from different regions in Italy, were enrolled at two Italian Universities: Rome and Cagliari. T-test and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed and chi-square test was used to compare observed and expected frequencies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample was composed by 618 females and 389 males and revealed statistically significant differences related to the gender in terms of lifestyle and food habits. About 2/3 of the sample has consumed ED at least once. ED consumers in the total sample accounted for 655 students (65,0%). The 41.3% of the females and the 58,8% of males were ED consumers. Habitual consumers represent the 15,8% of the ED consumers, while occasional consumers the 84,2 %. Habitual and occasional consumers show statistically significant differences both for the lifestyle and the food habits. The 72.1% of ED consumers drink ED in association with alcohol (ED-based cocktails).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that would be recommended to inform consumers about the side effects related to an excessive use of ED, particularly when combined with alcohol: indeed, this combination is known to have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, on the nervous system, leading in particular to sleeping disorders.
authors.affiliation: Dpt of Experimental Medicine, RU of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vitiello
authors.affiliation: Dpt of Experimental Medicine, RU of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diolordi
authors.affiliation: Dpt of Science of Life and Enviromental, Cagliari University, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirrone
authors.affiliation: Dpt of Experimental Medicine, RU of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Donini
authors.affiliation: Dpt of Experimental Medicine, RU of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Del Balzo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D061215:Energy Drinks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Energy drink; Food habits; Lifestyle; Student