Energy drinks are non-alcoholic beverages marketed for their alleged or actual benefits as stimulants, performance enhancers, and sources of energy. The popularity of energy drinks among teenagers is growing, as is the number of emergency hospital admissions due to their consumption. The negative effects of energy drink consumption among children and adolescents are caused by excessive caffeine intake. The purpose of the study was to examine the prevalence of energy drink consumption among children in Slovenian primary schools. The data for the study was collected as a part of the ACD.Si 2023/24 study (Analysis of Development Trends in Children in Slovenia), which took place in September 2023. A study was conducted on a national representative sample of 2086 children. Data were collected using the self-report method in the form of an interview. Children in grades 1 to 9, thus aged 6 to 14 years, reported on the frequency of their energy drink consumption. The results demonstrated that 18 % of primary school pupils consume energy drinks, of which 6 % consume energy drinks several times a year, 7 % several times a month, 4 % several times a week, and less than 1 % of children consume them every day. Boys (21 %) consume energy drinks more frequently than girls (14 %) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of energy drink consumption increases (p < 0.001) with age of the respondents: 4 % of 6-year-olds and 42 % of 14-year-olds consume energy drinks. Overweight boys consume energy drinks more often (26 %) (p < 0.001) than normal-weight boys (20 %), normal-weight girls (15 %), and overweight girls (13 %). The results highlight the importance of raising awareness among children, parents, educators, policymakers, and general public about the excessive consumption of energy drinks in early childhood and adolescence. In particular, there is a need to raise awareness among young people about the harmful effects of energy drinks, so that they can protect themselves from the risks of energy drinks consumption.
|
