Caffeine Intake in College Students

Abstract

Caffeine is a widely consumed substance that is readily available through many sources that may influence consumption in the college setting. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between caffeine intake and sleep behavior and the effect of campus dining frequency on caffeine intake in college students. Three hundred and fifty students (212 males and 138 females) participated in a 72-hour dietary analysis that provided the students’ age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity level. The students were asked to record dining frequency as well. Ninety-six of the 350 students completed a 7-day sleep diary to complete the sleep analysis. Chi-square tests, regression analysis, and t-tests were performed to analyze relationships and differences between variables. Results showed that there were no significant relationships between caffeine intake and age, gender, BMI, physical activity, sleep time, or frequency of dining and caffeine intake in college students.