Association between energy drink intake, sleep, stress, and suicidality in Korean adolescents: energy drink use in isolation or in combination with junk food consumption
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: A considerable amount of research suggests that the frequent use of caffeinated energy drinks may be associated with undesirable effects, particularly so in children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the associations between energy drink intake and mental health problems, in isolation or in combination with junk food consumption, in a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents. METHODS: Data from the 2015 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey, collected from 68,043 adolescents aged 12-18 years (mean age 15.09 ± 1.72 years), were analyzed. Questionnaires were administered to collect information related to dietary behavior including energy drink intake and junk food consumption. Single item measures of sleep dissatisfaction, stress, depression, suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt were also administered. Associations between energy drink intake and sleep dissatisfaction, perceived severe stress, persistent depressive mood, and suicidality were investigated, and a multivariate approach was taken so that additional variance from demographic and lifestyle factors could be controlled for statistically. RESULTS: Energy drink intake was significantly associated with sleep dissatisfaction (adjusted odd ratios [AORs] = 1.64 and 1.25), severe stress (AORs = 2.23 and 1.38), depressive mood (AOR = 2.59 and 1.51), suicidal ideation (AORs = 3.14 and 1.43), suicide plan (AORs = 4.65 and 1.78), and suicide attempt (AORs = 6.79 and 1.91), with a higher risk for more frequent use of energy drinks (≥5 times/wk) than for less frequent use (1-4 times/wk). The detrimental effect of energy drinks on mental health was particularly prominent in frequent junk food consumers. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that energy drink intake had detrimental effects related to stress, sleep dissatisfaction, mood, and suicidality, in isolation or in combination with junk food consumption, in Korean adolescents. However, the cross-sectional study design prevents our ability to assess causal relationships.
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A number of cross-sectional studies examined the effects of energy drink consumption among children and adolescents, with each study often reporting on multiple outcomes.
“A number of cross-sectional studies examined the effects of energy drink consumption among children and adolescents [90–97], with each study often reporting on multiple outcomes.”
From The negative impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on children’s health: an update of the literature (2018) · cites this paper as [95]
Two studies found an association between energy drink consumption and stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation, plan or attempt.
“One study reported an association between energy drink consumption and risk-taking behaviors such as cigarette, marijuana and drug use [90], and two studies found an association between energy drink consumption and stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation, plan or attempt [90, 95].”
From The negative impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on children’s health: an update of the literature (2018) · cites this paper as [95]
Some studies found evidence for an association between energy drink consumption and sleep-related issues such as sleep dissatisfaction, tiredness/fatigue and late bedtime.
“Some studies found evidence for an association between energy drink consumption and sleep-related issues such as sleep dissatisfaction, tiredness/fatigue and late bedtime [92, 93, 95], and others reported an association between energy drink intake and increased headaches [91–93].”
From The negative impact of sugar-sweetened beverages on children’s health: an update of the literature (2018) · cites this paper as [95]
Men and women respond differently to caffeine administration, and these gender differences may be mediated by changes in circulating steroid hormones.
“These results suggest that men and women respond differently to caffeine administration and that these gender differences may be mediated by changes in circulating steroid hormones [124].”
From Effect of Caffeine Consumption on the Risk for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Sex Differences in Human (2020) · cites this paper as [124]
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References 55 · Cited by 127
- Authors
- Park, S., Lee, Y., & Lee, J. H.
- Affiliations
- National Center for Mental Health (KR)
- Korea University (KR)
- Corresponding author
- Lee, Junghyun H.
- Venue
- Nutrition Journal
- Published
- 2016-10-13
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 87-87
- ISSN
- 1475-2891 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5064784
- OpenAlex
- W2530878718
- Cited by
- 127
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 5
- FWCI
- 5.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Nutrition Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- clinical research grant from the National Center for Mental Health (2016-03)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Keywords
- energy drinks, caffeinated beverages, adolescents, sleep dissatisfaction, perceived stress, depressive mood, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide planning, junk food consumption, dietary behavior, adolescent mental health, Korean adolescents
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Diet, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Mental Health, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sleep, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychological, Suicide, Asian People, Republic of Korea, Energy Drinks
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