Correlates of Concurrent Energy Drink and Alcohol Use among Socially Active Adults

Abstract

Background Research indicates that energy drink consumption and the combined use of energy drinks and alcohol are popular among young adults, although this research has typically focused on college students. Because of the potential for harms associated with this combination, it is critical to understand use among adults in nightlife scenes who may be most at risk for harms associated with combined energy drink and alcohol consumption. Objectives By focusing our sample on individuals in a range of nightlife scenes, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the demographic factors associated with energy drink use and combined energy drink and alcohol consumption to benefit the targeting of intervention and prevention efforts beyond college campuses. Methods Using a field-based survey in New York City to survey adults active in various nightlife scenes, this study reports on the survey results of 1476 venue patrons at venues in five nightlife scenes in addition to college bar scenes Results Men, younger individuals, Latinos, and sexual minority individuals reported higher prevalence of recent energy drink consumption. Younger individuals, men, and those recruited in gay venues reported higher prevalence of combining alcohol and energy drinks. Conclusion These findings provide information useful to target education and prevention efforts. They also suggest the need for additional research to understand differences in motivations for use and in the behavioral and alcohol-related outcomes associated with consuming energy drinks and combining them with alcohol.

Alcohol mixed with energy drink (AMED): A critical review and meta‐analysis

“…Other studies however, have not found significant associations between AMED consumption and problematic behaviors including binge drinking (Flotta et al, ), higher intoxication levels (Droste, Miller, Pennay, Zinkiewicz, & Lubman, ; Rossheim and Thombs, ), increased levels of sensation seeking (Snipes et al, ), being male (Malinauskas et al, ; Reid et al, ), younger age (Flotta et al, ), having a lower grade point average (Azagba et al, ; Patrick et al, ), school type (Martz et al, ), education level (Pennay et al, ), income (Pennay et al, ), general health (Pennay et al, ), sleep problems (Bonar et al, ), smoking (Pennay et al, ), and nonmedical use of opioids and anxiolytics (Khan et al, ). Further studies have also reported no significant associations between AMED consumption and drunk driving (Arria et al, ; Berger et al, ; Curtis et al, ; Flotta et al, ), wearing a seatbelt when riding in a car driven by someone else (Flotta et al, ), being hurt or injured (Berger et al, ), race or ethnic group (Patrick et al, ; Wells et al, ), sexual identity (Wells et al, ), participation in unprotected sex (Miller, ), unwanted sexual contact (Berger et al, ), and sexual victimization in women (Snipes et al, ).…”

The combined effects of alcohol, caffeine, and expectancies on subjective experience, impulsivity, and risk-taking.

“…The UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (Whiteside & Lynam, 2001; Cyders et al, 2007) is a 58- item measure of five different domains of impulsivity including sensation seeking, lacking of planning, lack of perseverance, negative urgency, positive urgency (e.g., acting rashly in a positive mood). Internal consistencies on each of the sub-scales ranged from .77 to .89.…”

Energy Drink Consumption and the Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder among a National Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults

“…Many college students consume energy drinks mixed with alcohol 19-32 often with the intent to consume excessive amounts of alcohol during one session. 22,25 Energy drinks consumed with alcohol result in the user feeling less intoxicated 26,33,34 although they do not lessen alcohol's effects on objective measures of impairment.…”