Citation

Masengo L, Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Chaput JP, Hamilton HA, Colman I. J. Affect. Disord. 2020; 268: 102-108.

Affiliation

School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.004

PMID

32157999

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous research has found links between energy drink consumption and mental health outcomes in youth. However, little is known about the factors that could moderate these relationships. The present study examined the associations between energy drink consumption and psychological distress, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts among adolescents, and tested whether sex and school type (i.e. middle vs. high school) would moderate these associations.

METHODS: Data on students in grades 7 through 12 was obtained from the 2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (N  =  5,538). Multivariable Poisson regression analyses were used to examine associations between energy drink consumption and mental health outcomes. Analyses were weighted and adjusted for the complex survey design.

RESULTS: Energy drink consumption was associated with greater risk of moderate to serious (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.37) and serious (IRR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.13-1.86) levels of psychological distress, suicidal thoughts (IRR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.62-2.42), and suicide attempts (IRR: 3.67, 95% CI: 2.26-5.95). The association between energy drink consumption and mental health outcomes was much stronger among boys and middle school students. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional nature of the data precludes causal inferences and there is possibility of bias related to self-reports.

CONCLUSIONS: Energy drink consumption among adolescents is strongly and differentially associated with mental health problems among male and female middle and high school students. Future research is necessary to replicate and disentangle the observed differences in more detail to inform the development of tailored interventions.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescents; Energy drink; Mental health; Suicidal thoughts; Suicide attempts