Symptoms Attributed to Consumption of Caffeinated Beverages in Adolescents

Abstract

Pediatric caffeine use has become increasingly prevalent. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages caffeine use by children and adolescents due to its adverse impact on sleep and blood pressure. The objective of this study was to measure prevalence of physical and emotional symptoms related to caffeine consumption among adolescents receiving primary care. A convenience sample of patients ( = 179; 73% female) aged 12-17 presenting for routine primary care completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Substance Abuse Module questionnaire, which included questions regarding use of caffeine. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize prevalence of caffeine use and caffeine-related symptoms. Associations of number of caffeine-related symptoms with age, gender, and race/ethnicity were also analyzed. Sixty-seven percent of participants ( = 120) reported past 30-day caffeinated beverage consumption. Of those, 68% ( = 82) reported at least one symptom or problem attributed to caffeine use or withdrawal, including caffeine cravings, 24% ( = 29); frequent urination, 21% ( = 25); difficulty falling asleep, 18% ( = 22); and feeling anxious, 3.3% ( = 4). In our sample, caffeinated beverage consumption by adolescents was frequently associated with physical and emotional symptoms, as well as problems attributed to use.

Caffeine Consumption in a Group of Adolescents from South East Poland—A Cross Sectional Study

“…According to the NHANES study, children who watched TV more than two hours a day were characterized by a significantly higher caffeine intake [ 13 ]. The most common side effects of the consumption of caffeinated products or beverages include insomnia, frequent urination, excitement or anxiety, and headaches [ 14 , 15 ]. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further research into the assessment of caffeine consumption and dietary intake in children and adolescents.…”

Concurrent Validity of Caffeine Problems and Diagnostic Criteria for Substance Use Disorders

“…Face validity also supports the essential inclusion of failure to quit, harm from substance, and withdrawal as supportive of disordered use. Caffeine can be associated with physical and emotional problems 4 and if an individual continues caffeine use despite these problems, then it is reasonable to consider use as disordered.…”

“…A minority of the subjects in this study (16.0%) were recruited from an outpatient subspecialty treatment program for adolescent SUDs, making this sample distinct from the sample in a previous report evaluating the prevalence of problems related to caffeine use among adolescents presenting for routine medical care, 4 in which this subsample was not included. The oversampling of adolescents with SUDs limits generalizability of the findings to primary care samples.…”

“…3 Caffeinated beverage consumption by adolescents is frequently associated with physical and emotional symptoms and problems, such as sleep disruption, stomach discomfort, and withdrawal symptoms (e.g., headache). 4 While many of these symptoms are typically considered more of a nuisance than a serious threat to health, they may impact functioning. For example, frequent urination associated with caffeine use may be disruptive to learning in a classroom, headaches from withdrawal could result in decreased concentration, and sleep problems can cause poor memory and attention during the day.…”