Caffeine consumption and self-assessed stress, anxiety and depression in secondary school children

Richards, Gareth ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0233-0153 and Smith, Andrew Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8805-8028 2015. Caffeine consumption and self-assessed stress, anxiety and depression in secondary school children. Journal of Psychopharmacology 29 (12) , pp. 1236-1247. 10.1177/0269881115612404

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Abstract

Previous research suggests that effects of caffeine on behaviour are positive unless one is investigating sensitive groups or ingestion of large amounts. Children are a potentially sensitive subgroup, and especially so considering the high levels of caffeine currently found in energy drinks. The present study used data from the Cornish Academies Project to investigate associations between caffeine (both its total consumption, and that derived separately from energy drinks, cola, tea, and coffee) and single-item measures of stress, anxiety, and depression, in a large cohort of secondary school children from the South West of England. After adjusting for additional dietary, demographic, and lifestyle covariates, positive associations between total weekly caffeine intake and anxiety and depression remained significant, and the effects differed between males and females. Initially, effects were also observed in relation to caffeine consumed specifically from coffee. However, coffee was found to be the major contributor to high overall caffeine intake, providing explanation as to why effects relating to this source were also apparent. Findings from the current study increase our knowledge regarding associations between caffeine intake and stress, anxiety, and depression in secondary school children, though the cross-sectional nature of the research made it impossible to infer causality.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	0269-8811
Funders:	The Waterloo Foundation
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Date of Acceptance:	25 September 2015
Last Modified:	04 May 2023 21:48
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/79980

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