Determinants of energy drink consumption in adolescents: identification of sex-specific patterns.

OBJECTIVES To investigate sex differences in sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of frequent energy drink (ED) consumption in adolescents. STUDY DESIGN This study was based on data collected among French-speaking Belgian adolescents aged 11-20 years (n = 8137) within the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. METHODS Multiple logistic analyses stratified by sex were performed to estimate the associations between consuming EDs more than once a week, and various sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. RESULTS Overall, 14.0% of boys and 7.6% of girls consumed ED more than once a week. For both genders, the likelihood of consuming ED more than once a week was higher among adolescents consuming soft drinks daily (vs. < daily), alcohol weekly (vs. < weekly), spending at least 5 h/day in front of screens (vs. < 5 h/day), and going to bed later than 11:30 PM (vs. ≤ 10:00 PM). Among boys, adolescents reporting at least 1 h of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily (vs. < 1 h/day MVPA) were more likely to consume ED more than once a week (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-2.01)). Among girls, adolescents from low affluence families (vs. high affluence) (aOR = 2.03 (95% CI 1.19-3.48)) and immigrants (vs. natives) (2nd generation: aOR = 1.75 (95% CI 1.31-2.32); 1st generation: aOR = 1.90 (95% CI 1.20-3.03)) were more likely to consume ED more than once a week. CONCLUSIONS We identified different patterns of ED consumption in boys and girls. These results suggest that sex-tailored interventions could be relevant to reduce ED consumption in adolescents.