Alcohol versus combined alcohol and energy drinks consumption: Risk behaviors and consumption patterns among European students. 2023

Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.

Recent research found that drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) could be riskier than drinking alcohol alone. Our aim was to compare rates of risk behaviors in consumers of AmED versus exclusive alcohol drinkers, matching them based on their drinking frequency. Data about 16-year-old students who reported the number of occasions on which they had drunk AmED or alcohol only in the preceding 12 months (n = 32,848) were drawn from the 2019 ESPAD study. After matching for consumption frequency, the sample consisted of 22,370 students (11,185 AmED consumers and 11,185 exclusive alcohol drinkers). Key predictors comprised substance use, other individual risk behaviors, and family characteristics (parental regulation, monitoring, and caring). The multivariate analysis showed significantly higher odds of being AmED consumers compared to being exclusive alcohol drinkers in the majority of the investigated risk behaviors, including: daily tobacco smoking, illicit drug use, heavy episodic drinking, truancy at school, engaging in physical fights and serious arguments, having troubles with the police, and having unprotected sexual intercourse. Instead, lower odds were found for reporting high parents' educational level, medium and low family economic status, perceived possibility to freely talk about problems to family members, spending free time reading books or other hobbies. Our study shows that, given the same consumption frequency in the past year, AmED consumers typically reported higher associations with risk-taking behaviors compared to exclusive alcohol drinkers. These findings advance past research that failed to control for the frequency of AmED use versus exclusive alcohol consumption.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000428 Alcohol Drinking Behaviors associated with the ingesting of ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, including social drinking. Alcohol Consumption,Alcohol Intake,Drinking, Alcohol,Alcohol Drinking Habits,Alcohol Drinking Habit,Alcohol Intakes,Consumption, Alcohol,Drinking Habit, Alcohol,Habit, Alcohol Drinking,Habits, Alcohol Drinking,Intake, Alcohol
D000431 Ethanol A clear, colorless liquid rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and distributed throughout the body. It has bactericidal activity and is used often as a topical disinfectant. It is widely used as a solvent and preservative in pharmaceutical preparations as well as serving as the primary ingredient in ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. Alcohol, Ethyl,Absolute Alcohol,Grain Alcohol,Alcohol, Absolute,Alcohol, Grain,Ethyl Alcohol
D000434 Alcoholic Beverages Drinkable liquids containing ETHANOL. Alcoholic Beverage,Beverage, Alcoholic,Beverages, Alcoholic
D012309 Risk-Taking Undertaking a task involving a challenge for achievement or a desirable goal in which there is a lack of certainty or a fear of failure. It may also include the exhibiting of certain behaviors whose outcomes may present a risk to the individual or to those associated with him or her. Risk Behavior,Behavior, Risk,Behaviors, Risk,Risk Behaviors,Risk Taking
D013334 Students Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program. School Enrollment,Enrollment, School,Enrollments, School,School Enrollments,Student
D061215 Energy Drinks Beverages that contain stimulants such as a combination of CAFFEINE with other substances such as VITAMINS; AMINO ACIDS; and sugar or sugar derivatives. Drink, Energy,Drinks, Energy,Energy Drink
D019966 Substance-Related Disorders Disorders related to substance use or abuse. Chemical Dependence,Drug Abuse,Drug Addiction,Drug Dependence,Drug Habituation,Drug Use Disorder,Drug Use Disorders,Organic Mental Disorders, Substance-Induced,Substance Abuse,Substance Dependence,Substance Related Disorder,Substance Use,Substance Use Disorder,Substance Use Disorders,Prescription Drug Abuse,Substance Addiction,Abuse, Drug,Abuse, Prescription Drug,Abuse, Substance,Addiction, Drug,Addiction, Substance,Chemical Dependences,Dependence, Chemical,Dependence, Drug,Dependence, Substance,Dependences, Chemical,Disorder, Drug Use,Disorder, Substance Related,Disorder, Substance Use,Disorders, Substance Related,Drug Abuse, Prescription,Habituation, Drug,Organic Mental Disorders, Substance Induced,Related Disorder, Substance,Related Disorders, Substance,Substance Abuses,Substance Uses,Use, Substance

Related Publications

Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
January 2020, Nutrients,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
July 2015, Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
June 2014, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
December 2019, European journal of public health,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
February 2015, Addictive behaviors,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
November 2008, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
March 2017, Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
January 2008, Revista latino-americana de enfermagem,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
December 2011, Addictive behaviors,
Marco Scalese, and Elisa Benedetti, and Sonia Cerrai, and Emanuela Colasante, and Loredana Fortunato, and Sabrina Molinaro
August 2011, International journal of environmental research and public health,
Copied contents to your clipboard!