54: Energy Drink Consumption in U.S. College Students: Marketing Differences Based on Gender

Presenter(s)

Amanda Gary

Abstract or Description

In the paper “Energy Drink Consumption in U.S. College Students: Marketing Differences Based on Gender,” I explore the unhealthy presence of caffeine in the form of energy drinks on college campuses by analyzing aspects of energy drinks that target specific genders. In April 2023, I conducted a survey called “Caffeine Consumption in College Students” on 118 undergraduate students at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU). I also investigated energy drink marketing by examining the packaging and websites of energy drinks that are popular in WashU’s student body. One example is the energy drink Celsius, which notably targets female-identifying consumers with its aesthetic packaging. The lack of energy drink regulation and the dangers of the side effects of energy drink consumption are additionally discussed. The findings from this survey and from my investigation of energy drink marketing are put into conversation primarily with the following papers: “Caffeine Intake among Undergraduate Students: Sex Differences, Sources, Motivations, and Associations with Smoking Status and Self-Reported Sleep Quality” by Aina Riera-Sampol, “Caffeinated energy drinks-A growing problem” by Chad Reissig et al, and “Energy drink consumption is associated with reduced sleep quality among college students: a cross-sectional study” by Mo'ez Al-Islam et al.