Assessing Adolescents’ Awareness of the Health Risks Associated with Energy Drink Consumption

Background: Energy drink consumption among adolescents has surged globally, raising serious public health concerns due to associated risks such as insomnia, hypertension, increased heart rate and anxiety. Despite this, adolescents often remain unaware of the dangers posed by energy drink ingredients like caffeine and sugar. In Pakistan, where health education on such topics is limited, this study aimed to assess adolescents’ knowledge about the adverse health effects of energy drink consumption.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 50 adolescents aged 15–18 years in Karachi, selected via purposive sampling from public venues (e.g., malls, parks). Participants completed a 12-item Likert-scale questionnaire assessing their knowledge on energy drink ingredients, effects, and usage. Scores were categorized into low (12–24), moderate (25–36), and high (37–60) awareness. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Chi-square tests using SPSS (v25).Results: The mean awareness score was 25 (SD = 4.78). A majority (72%) fell into the low-awareness category. No statistically significant differences in awareness were found by gender (p = .33) or age group (p = .25), suggesting a uniformly low level of knowledge across the sample. While older adolescents (17–18) showed slightly higher awareness, the difference was not substantial.Conclusion: Findings reveal widespread knowledge deficits among adolescents regarding energy drink risks, irrespective of age or gender. This highlights the need for targeted, age-appropriate health education through schools and digital media to improve awareness and mitigate potential harm.