Introduction: The National Academy of Medicine called for increased research on nutritional supplement use among military members. Current research has suggested potential health risks posed by energy drink consumption. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of energy drink consumption and beliefs about nutritional supplements in a U.S. military population.
Methods: Data were collected by means of an anonymous 44-item survey that was administered to and completed by 302 naval aviation candidates (100% response rate) enrolled in aviation preflight indoctrination (API) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL.
Results: Bivariate correlations indicated a statistically significant relationship between beliefs regarding the safety of energy drinks, energy drink consumption frequency, and personal beliefs regarding supplements [r(202) = -0.23]. The negative correlational coefficient indicated an inverse relationship between favorable perceptions on supplements and energy drink consumption.
Discussion: This study assessed beliefs about the safety of nutritional supplements among API candidates and to examine if a relationship between nutritional supplement beliefs and energy drink consumption exists. Results indicated a significant inverse relationship between API candidates' beliefs regarding consumption frequency and safety of energy drinks as well as beliefs regarding supplement use. Results also suggested that the more positively an API candidate perceived nutritional supplements, the less frequently energy drinks were consumed. The findings of this study indicated a weak inverse relationship between the beliefs/use of energy drinks and beliefs regarding the effectiveness of nutritional supplement use among naval aviation candidates.Sather TE, Woolsey CL, Delorey DR, Williams RD Jr. Energy drink and nutritional supplement beliefs among naval aviation candidates. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(8):731-736.