High-Risk Driving Behaviors Among 12th Grade Students: Differences Between Alcohol-Only and Alcohol Mixed With Energy Drink Users.

BACKGROUND: About 30% of high school students use energy drinks. Alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) has been associated with higher rates of risky driving among college students. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to: (a) examine AmED-use in a sample of high school students and (b) to specifically investigate differences in risky driving behaviors between 12th grade students who engaged in AmED-use and those who consumed alcohol only. METHODS: Differences in risky driving behaviors were investigated by utilizing secondary data analyses of nationally representative data from the Monitoring the Future Study (N = 1305). RESULTS: 12th grade AmED users were significantly more likely to be in a motor vehicle accident (p <.001) and receive a ticket for a traffic violation (p <.05). Additionally, 12th grade AmED users were significantly less likely to wear a seatbelt as a driver or passenger (p <.001). Conclusions/Importance: Although this study does not link risky driving behaviors to specific drinking events, it does indicate a relationship between AmED-use and high-risk driving. Because traffic accidents are the highest cause of mortality among U.S. teenagers, drug education efforts to reduce high-risk driving behaviors should include information on the decision-making and synergistic effects of energy drinks when mixed with alcohol.

Increased Energy Drink Use as a Predictor of Illicit Prescription Stimulant Use.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine energy drink usage patterns and to investigate the relationship between energy drink use and illicit use of prescription stimulants among college students. METHODS: A sample of 605 undergraduate and graduate students (mean age±SD: 21.96±4.216) from a large midwestern university voluntarily participated in the study. RESULTS: Of the participants, 48.9% (n=296) reported using energy drinks in the past 30 days, whereas 25.3% (n=153) reported using prescription stimulant drugs in the past 30 days. Among prescription stimulant users without a valid medical prescription, Mann-Whitney U tests and logistic regression analysis revealed that the frequency of energy drink consumption was a significant predictor of illicit prescription stimulant use, with the odds for use increasing by 14% with each additional day of energy drink use (odds ratio for using=1.143, P≤.001). Analyses revealed statistically significant differences (P<.05) between prescription stimulant users and nonusers for all energy drink use variables, with the strongest predictors of prescription stimulant use being the number of days using energy drinks in the past 30 days and number of energy drink binges in the past 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the frequency of energy drink use was a significant predictor of the illicit use of prescription stimulants.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Implications for Aviation Preflight Indoctrination Students.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that excessive sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has been associated with being overweight and obese and the military is not immune to this disorder. Being overweight/obese is one of the characteristics that comprise a condition known as Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). The global prevalence of MetS in the military population is estimated to be 21%, which varies depending upon the armed forces type and specialty. The purpose of this study is to identify the subset of the aviation population that may develop MetS at some future point and to put forth suggestions on how best to combat this and maintain operational readiness.METHODS: Data were collected by means of an anonymous 44-item survey administered and completed by 302 students enrolled in Aviation Preflight Indoctrination at the Naval Air Station Base in Pensacola, FL.RESULTS: Results indicated that 70.86% of students reported SSB consumption, with 95.3% preferring caffeinated to decaffeinated SSBs. 11.7% of personnel met the "at risk criteria" of consuming SSBs four times per week or greater (four 12-oz cans or more per week).DISCUSSION: Findings from this study indicate that approximately 11.7% of aviation pilots or flight officers are "at risk" of developing MetS. Given that it takes up to 4 yr to train a new fighter pilot, this could become a significant readiness issue on par with the impact seen with pilots leaving the services through natural attrition.Sather TE. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and implications for aviation preflight indoctrination students. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2024; 95(1):25-28.

Energy Drink and Nutritional Supplement Beliefs Among Naval Aviation Candidates.

INTRODUCTION: The National Academy of Medicine called for increased research on nutritional supplement use among military members. Current research has suggested potential health risks posed by energy drink consumption. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of energy drink consumption and beliefs about nutritional supplements in a U.S. military population. METHODS: Data were collected by means of an anonymous 44-item survey that was administered to and completed by 302 naval aviation candidates (100% response rate) enrolled in aviation preflight indoctrination (API) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL. RESULTS: Bivariate correlations indicated a statistically significant relationship between beliefs regarding the safety of energy drinks, energy drink consumption frequency, and personal beliefs regarding supplements [r(202) = -0.23]. The negative correlational coefficient indicated an inverse relationship between favorable perceptions on supplements and energy drink consumption. DISCUSSION: This study assessed beliefs about the safety of nutritional supplements among API candidates and to examine if a relationship between nutritional supplement beliefs and energy drink consumption exists. Results indicated a significant inverse relationship between API candidates' beliefs regarding consumption frequency and safety of energy drinks as well as beliefs regarding supplement use. Results also suggested that the more positively an API candidate perceived nutritional supplements, the less frequently energy drinks were consumed. The findings of this study indicated a weak inverse relationship between the beliefs/use of energy drinks and beliefs regarding the effectiveness of nutritional supplement use among naval aviation candidates.Sather TE, Woolsey CL, Delorey DR, Williams RD Jr. Energy drink and nutritional supplement beliefs among naval aviation candidates. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(8):731-736.

Caffeine Consumption Among Naval Aviation Candidates.

INTRODUCTION: Education frequently dictates students need to study for prolonged periods of time to adequately prepare for examinations. This is especially true with aviation preflight indoctrination (API) candidates who have to assimilate large volumes of information in a limited amount of time during API training. The purpose of this study was to assess caffeine consumption patterns (frequency, type, and volume) among naval aviation candidates attending API to determine the most frequently consumed caffeinated beverage and to examine if the consumption of a nonenergy drink caffeinated beverage was related to energy drink consumption. METHODS: Data were collected by means of an anonymous 44-item survey administered and completed by 302 students enrolled in API at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL. RESULTS: Results indicated the most frequently consumed caffeinated beverage consumed by API students was coffee (86.4%), with daily coffee consumption being approximately 28% and the most frequent pattern of consumption being 2 cups per day (85%). The least frequently consumed caffeinated beverages reported were energy drinks (52%) and energy shots (29.1%). The present study also found that the consumption patterns (weekly and daily) of caffeinated beverages (coffee and cola) were positively correlated to energy drink consumption patterns. DISCUSSION: Naval aviation candidates' consumption of caffeinated beverages is comparable to other college and high school cohorts. This study found that coffee and colas were the beverages of choice, with energy drinks and energy shots being the least frequently reported caffeinated beverages used. Additionally, a relationship between the consumption of caffeinated beverages and energy drinks was identified.Sather TE, Williams RD, Delorey DR, Woolsey CL. Caffeine consumption among naval aviation candidates. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(4):399-405.

Energy Beverage Consumption Among Naval Aviation Candidates.

INTRODUCTION: Since the debut of energy beverages, the consumption of energy beverages has been immensely popular with young adults. Research regarding energy beverage consumption has included college students, European Union residents, and U.S. Army military personnel. However, energy beverage consumption among naval aviation candidates in the United States has yet to be examined. The purpose of this study was to assess energy beverage consumption patterns (frequency and volume) among naval aviation candidates, including attitudes and perceptions regarding the benefits and safety of energy beverage consumption. METHODS: A 44-item survey was used to assess energy beverage consumption patterns of 302 students enrolled in the Aviation Preflight Indoctrination Course at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL. RESULTS: Results indicated that 79% of participants (N = 239) reported consuming energy beverages within the last year. However, of those who reported consuming energy beverages within the last year, only 36% (N = 85) reported consuming energy beverages within the last 30 d. Additionally, 51% (N = 153) of participants reported no regular energy beverages consumption. The majority of participants consumed energy beverages for mental alertness (67%), mental endurance (37%), and physical endurance (12%). The most reported side effects among participants included increased mental alertness (67%), increased heart rate (53%), and restlessness (41%). DISCUSSION: Naval aviation candidates appear to use energy drinks as frequently as a college student population, but less frequently than expected for an active duty military population. The findings of this study indicate that naval aviation candidates rarely use energy beverages (less than once per month), but when consumed, they use it for fatigue management.

Age of first use of energy beverages predicts future maximal consumption among naval pilot and flight officer candidates.

BACKGROUND: Energy drinks are popular beverages that can have adverse long-term health effects when consumed by children and adolescents. This study sought to determine if the age of first energy drink use in a U.S. military population is predictive of the maximum number of energy drinks consumed during a single day and/or single occasion (operationally defined as a couple of hours; e.g., a night out, during studying or sport session). METHOD: Student U.S. naval aviator and naval flight officers who reported past-year use of energy drinks (N = 239) were surveyed to determine various measures of energy drink consumption. RESULTS: Age of first consumption was predictive of the maximum number of energy drinks consumed during a single occasion within the past year. Within this sample, the age range between 13 and 16 years appeared to be a critical period with results indicating that people who began consuming energy drinks during this period were 4.88 times more likely to consume high quantities (four or more) of energy drinks during a single occasion when compared to those who started consuming energy drinks between the ages of 20-23. Likewise, persons who began to consume energy drinks between the ages of 13-16 are 2.48 times more likely to consume high quantities of energy drinks during a single occasion than those who started between the ages of 17-19. There was no difference between 17 and 19 year olds and 20-23 year olds. Age of first use was not correlated to daily average intake or daily maximal intake of energy drinks. CONCLUSIONS: A lower age of first energy drink use suggests higher risk of single-occasion heavy episodic consumption in this military population. Researchers should further explore the relationship of early onset energy drink consumption and potential future health risks.