Prevalence and characterisation of energy drink consumption in Europe: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective: Energy drinks (ED) can cause cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and other health disorders. These effects are particularly pronounced in youth. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the consumption of ED in European countries.

Design: A systematic bibliographic search was performed in November 2024 in EMBASE, MEDLINE (Ovid), Scopus and Cochrane databases with no restrictions on country, study period, study design and language.

Setting: ED are beverages high in caffeine, sugar and other stimulants.

Participants: A total of 2008 studies were identified and reviewed by four researchers. Ninety-four met the inclusion criteria and were extracted in a table designed ad hoc.

Results: The included studies showed differences regarding their design, definition of consumption and time frame under study. The most studied frequency of ED consumption was weekly consumption, and the most studied population was school students. An increase in the prevalence of consumption was observed when tracking ED consumption over time. Variables most related to consumption were low socio-economic status, alcohol and tobacco consumption, physical activity, age and sex.

Conclusions: It is difficult to have a clear picture of the extent of ED consumption in Europe, mainly due to differences in the design of the studies and the lack of periodicity of the estimates in different countries. However, given the health problems that have been associated with ED consumption, regulation of these beverages is essential, especially in youth.