Energy drinks and other dietary supplement use among adolescents attending secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the knowledge and practices among Trinidad and Tobago school-attending adolescents towards energy drinks (ED), alcohol combined with energy drinks (AwED), weightaltering supplements (WAS) and vitamin/mineral supplements (VMS) and their experience of adverse effects associated with such use. Design: A cross-sectional, proportionate, stratified sampling strategy was adopted using a self-administered, de novo questionnaire. Setting: Secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Subjects: Students aged 15-19 years. Results: Five hundred and sixty-one students participated, an 84 % response rate; 43?0 % were male, 40?5 % East Indian and 34?1 % mixed race. VMS, ED, WAS and anabolic steroids were used by 52?4 %, 44?0 %, 8?9 % and 1?4 % of students, respectively, with 51?6 % of ED users using AwED. Predictors of use of AwED were males and students who played sport for their school (OR 5 1?9; 95 % CI 1?2, 3?2 and OR 5 2?6; 95 % CI 1?4, 4?7, respectively). Predictors of ED use were males and attendees of government secondary schools (OR 5 1?7; 95 % CI 1?1, 2?4 and OR 5 1?7; 95 % CI 1?2, 2?4, respectively). Side-effects, mainly palpitations, headaches and sleep disturbances, were reported in 20?7 % of dietary supplement users. Conclusions: Many adolescent students in Trinidad and Tobago use dietary supplements, including ED and AwED, and about one-fifth of users experience side-effects. Identification of students at risk for ED, AwED and WAS use and education of students about the dangers of using dietary supplements need to be instituted to prevent potential adverse events.

Supplementation practices, perceptions and knowledge about anti-doping among Jamaican high school athletes

“…Studies in the United Kingdom (Petroczi et al, 2008), United States (Eichner, 2015) and Egypt (Tawfik, El Koofy, & Moawad, 2016) have reported usage rates ranging from 46% to 59%. In Trinidad and Tobago, usage rates of 52.4 %, 44.0% and 8.9 % were found for vitamin and mineral supplements, energy drinks and weight altering supplements respectively (Babwah et al, 2014). The highest usage (98 %) was noted in a study involving 567 Canadian athletes aged 11-17 (Wiens, Erdman, Stadnyk, & Parnell, 2014).…”

“…Several adverse health effects have been reported. For example, consumption of vitamin/mineral supplements, energy drinks, weight-altering supplements and anabolic steroids among students in Trinidad and Tobago resulted in side-effects such as palpitations, headaches and sleep disturbances in about a fifth of users (Babwah, Maharaj, & Nunes, 2014).…”

Sugar: moving from evidence to action

“…Against the backdrop of the WHO draft guideline released earlier this year, the current issue of Public Health Nutrition highlights the topic of sugar consumption. Articles in this issue provide information on levels of energy drink consumption among adolescents in Trinidad and Tobago 1 and consumption of beverages, including sugar-sweetened beverages, among children and adolescents in Mexico 2 . Two more articles provide evidence of the negative effect of sugar or sugar-sweetened beverage intake on dental caries 3 and obesity 4 .…”