Consumption of Caffeinated Beverages

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We have taken a lot of efforts in completing this report. However, it would not have been possible without the kind support and help of many individuals who have been there for us along this journey as to complete this report in time. Alhamdulilah, first of all we would like to thank God for given us the strength and wisdom as finally we were able to complete our report effectively and efficiently. Thank God for letting us through all the difficulties and have experienced His guidance day by day. A special appreciation to our family.

Words can not express how grateful we are to our mother, father, and our siblings for all of the sacrifices that they have made on our behalf. Their prayer for us were what sustained us thus far. We would like to express our special appreciation and thank to our BEL422 lecturer, Madam Asha Latha B. S. for the valuable advice and support she has given to us in the writing of this report apart from being a tremendous mentor for us through out this semester. This report had been done with all afford by group members eventhough there were constraints while doing this report. Fortunately, all the constraints are settled due to our group members co-operation and ideas.

We are highly indebted to our friends for their support as well as they diligence extended in providing us necessary information in completing this report. Last but not least, our deepest thank to our respondents for their understanding and support. THANK YOU ( [pic] SUMMARY This study was conducted to gauge on consumption of caffeinated beverages among UiTM students. It was requested by our BEL422 lecturer Mdm. Asha Latha B. S. to fulfill the course requirement. It was requested on 19th September 2012. The investigation was done by distributing questionnaires to 20 respondents comprising Business and Law students at UiTM Shah Alam. Data was collated and analyzed using a basic frequency analysis derived from Microsoft Excel Software.

Secondary sources were also referred to, to obtain background information required for this report. The main finding

TERMS OF REFFERENCE

On 19th September 2012, Nawwar Binti Khaleefur Rahman, Nur Khalijah Bt. Zaidan, Nuranika Shamimi Binti Shamsdin and Yusmah Binti Yusof, from the Faculty of Business Management, UiTM Shah Alam, were instructed by Mdm. Asha Latha B. S. , the Report Writing lecturer (BEL) to write a report on consumption of caffeinated beverages among UiTM students on questionnaires. The report which includes the background information, findings, conclusions and recommendations is to be submitted on 12th December 2012.

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The report was written to gauge and identify the consumption of caffeinated beverages among tertiary students. It has been observed that some students drink caffeinated beverages and after it has become a habit among students. This report identifies the short term and long term effects of taking caffeinated beverages and determines why these students are reluctant to stop consumption of these caffeinated beverages. This report was requested by Madam Asha Latha B. S on 19th September 2012.

Statement of the Problem

The meaning of “caffeinated beverage” is “a drink that contains caffeine. ” Coffee is the most common one. Black, green and white tea also contain caffeine. Some sodas have caffeine added to them (Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, for instance), as do many energy drinks. There are variety reasons why people like drinking caffeinated beverages. Many folks have coffee to help wake up in the morning. College students are known for knocking back coffee and caffeinated sodas to keep them up for studying the night before a big test. In some studies, caffeine has been shown to help concentration and memory. Too much consumption can increase person nervousness.

If they drink cheap coffee that’s made with robusta beans instead of 100% arabica beans, they may suffer stomach problem. If there is an addiction, measures must be suggested to reduce this and to introduce other form of healthier beverages.

Research Questions

This report seeks to answer the following questions:

• What is the definition of caffeinated beverages?
• What types of caffeinated beverages are popular among tertiary students?
• Why are such beverages being consumed by tertiary students?
• Are the tertiary students aware of the effects of heavy consumption on caffeinated beverages?

What are the drawbacks or setbacks experienced when attempting to stop caffeinated everages?

What are the suggestions for tertiary students to reduce the consumption of caffeinated beverages?

LITERATURE REVIEW

Caffeinated beverages have always been consumed by adults. However, nowadays, most tertiary students are consuming these beverages. Caffeine products are so widely distributed these days that abuse of the substance may be unnoticed. In fact, caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed stimulant, with 54 percent of adults in America consuming on average three cups of coffee a day (Chen and Parrish, 2008). Diet Health Club on September 2011 identifies these beverages as: Any drinks which contain caffeine.

This caffeine is a stimulant that is legal and is one of the most popular stimulants in the world especially among the developed countries. Some of the common caffeinated content beverages include teas, coffees, various kinds of energy drinks and soft drinks. Tea and coffee are found to naturally have caffeine. Whereas some of the popular drinks like cola have intentionally used this caffeine stimulant as one of the ingredients. The relationship between an individual’s amount of caffeine consumption during his/her study session and the individual’s study habits were investigated by Hope (2009). Most of the students revealed their personal consumption of caffeine as well as their study habits when preparing for a test or examinations.

As determined by the researcher, it has been hypothesized that the more the caffeine a student consumes while studying, the more accurately his or her study habits would be labelled as ‘unhealthy’. To keep them ‘up’ for late night sessions, many college students rely on caffeine-packed sodas and coffee drinks which will increase vigilance, sadly this is unhealthy. A research by the (“National Council On Strength and Fitness), it shows that caffeinated beverages have become gradually more accepted within the diets of tertiary students. That shows the consumption of caffeinated beverages can cause long-lasting effects on brain function when utilized during the formative years.

However drinking too much of caffeine can cause health problems or side effects to drinkers. Some side effects from caffeine use can be mere irritation. Others are downright dangerous. For smokers, caffeine can be especially harmful. Nicotine will raise blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular complications. This is because caffeine is the drug used in the world and is part of everyone’s daily life-style, it has gone unnoticed as a potentially harmful substance to most people’s health. An article “Caffeine Awareness Association”(2010) also indicates that excessive coffee drinking can increase a person’s risk of heart attack. Thus, caffeine can also cause irregular heart rhythms.

And some researchers believe it can increase a woman’s chances of getting cancer. Caffeine has also been linked with central nervous system disorders, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and incontinence. The medical community has recently taken caffeine withdrawal quite seriously. It is estimated that one in eight people will experience symptoms that will interfere with ability to work or function for at least a couple of days. Jordan (2004), suggested including caffeine withdrawal as a verifiable condition in the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). However, caffeine withdrawal is seldom dangerous, though it can make one uncomfortable for a few days. The most frequent symptom ssociated when we attempt to stop caffeinated beverages is moderate to severe headaches. This can occur between 12 and 24 hours after the last intake of caffeine. It usually lasts for one to two days, though some may have a headache for longer. Furthermore, according to Lee (2006), drinking too much of caffeine will impact one negatively. It causes palpitations and withdrawal systems that include headache and drowsiness. Tertiary education often requires students to study for extended hours, especially during periods of increased workload prior to tests and examinations. Removing caffeine from one’s daily routine can be done by approaching the task of lowering the intake of caffeine.

Switching to a coffee with less caffeine and checking labels on medications are the approaches to gradually reduce the amount of caffeine consumption for each day, (“Fit Day”, n. d). According to Haupt (2012), suggests go for an espresso shot because it contains only about half the amount of caffeine as a cup of regular coffee.

METHODOLOGY AND LIMITATIONS

20 respondents were chosen randomly. The respondents were required to answer a questionnaire. These questionnaires were distributed on ______ and collected on ____. Data was collected and analyzed using a basic frequency analysis that was derived from Microsoft Excel software. Various secondary sources and materials were also looked into as differences and guides.

Although this research was carefully prepared, there were still limitations and shortcomings. This report was done on a small scale involving 20 respondents. Since the population was small, the findings presented may not be applicable as general representations. To do so a large sample would be required. The period given to conduct and complete this report was 11 weeks only. Background information for the report was limited to articles from various websites.

FINDINGS

RESPONDENTS’ GENDER

Figure 4. 1 The pie chart in Figure 4. 1 shows the gender who consumed caffeinated beverages. The gender is divided into two categories which are females and males.

Based on the pie chart, it shows that the percentage of females who consume caffeinated beverages among tertiary students is higher than males where by females involve 70% and male 30% only.

AGE OF TERTIARY STUDENTS

Figure 4. 2 The table in Figure 4. 2 shows the age of the respondents who consume caffeinated beverages. It shows that the age of 19 – 21 years old has the highest no of respondents at 12 respondents while the age of 30 – 32 years old has the lowest number of respondents at 1 respondent only.

TERTIARY STUDENTS WHO CONSUME CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES

Figure 4. 3 The diagram above shows the number of students from universities that consume caffeinated beverages.

It shows that University Technology Mara has the highest no of respondents who consume caffeinated beverages among all tertiary students at 9 respondents. The lowest numbers of respondents who consume caffeinated beverages are tertiary students for University Malaya at only 3 respondents.

NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS WHO CONSUME CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES

Figure 4. 4 The pie chart above shows the number of respondents who consume caffeinated beverages. It shows that 20 respondents answered “yes” in this questionnaire.

TYPES OF CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES

Figure 4. 5 Figure 4. 5 shows the types of caffeinated beverages that are taken by tertiary students.

According to the chart, tea is the highest for the types of caffeinated beverages at 52% followed by coffee at 25% and sodas at 25%. Sodas are divided into four types which are Coke at 23%, Pepsi at 59%, Mountain Dew at 10% and others at 9%.

FREQUENCY OF TERTIARY STUDENTS DRINKING CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES IN A WEEK

Figure 4. 6 Figure 4. 6 shows the frequency tertiary students drink caffeinated beverages. Based on the chart above, it shows that 40% of tertiary students drink caffeinated beverages 2 – 4 times in a week. 25% of tertiary students drink it once a week, 20% drink it every day and only 10% of the tertiary students drink it 5- 6 times in a week.

AWARENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES

Figure 4. 7 Figure 4. shows the awareness of the contents of such beverages by tertiary students. According to the chart, it is clear that most students are aware of the contents of caffeinated beverages since 64% answered so. Another 36% of tertiary students are not aware of the contents of such beverages. Therefore, for those who are aware of the contents in caffeinated beverages, the results show that 41% realise the sugar, 23% know of their preservatives, 9% the colouring and 27% the caffeine contents.

ADDICTIVENESS TOWARDS CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES

Figure 4. 8 Figure 4. 8 shows the addictiveness towards caffeinated beverages by tertiary students.

From the chart above, it is clear that 55% of the tertiary students are not addicted to caffeinated beverages. Only 45% of tertiary students are addicted to caffeinated beverages. When they are addicted to caffeinated beverages, most of them control addiction by carrying with plain water (60%), followed by 30% who revert to de-caffeinated beverages and 10% who resort to junk food / fast food.

REASONS WHY RESPONDENTS CONSUME CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES

Figure 4. 9 Figure 4. 9 illustrates the reasons why respondents consume caffeinated beverages. Firstly, 8 out of 20 respondents say they find caffeinated beverages tasty. Next, 30% of the respondents consume such beverages because find them inexpensive. respondents ranked they find caffeinated beverages convenient. Moreover, no respondents ranked finding such beverages inexpensive or tasty. Meanwhile, 40% of the respondents rank they follow their friends as the reason why they consume caffeinated beverages.

THE CONSEQUENCES IF THE RESPONDENTS CUT DOWN CAFFEINATED BEVEREAGES

Figure 4. 10 Figure 4. 10 shows the percentages of the consequences if the respondents cut down on caffeinated beverages. 60% of the respondents will feel sleepy if they cut down their consumption on such beverages. Meanwhile, only 10% of them feel moody after they reduced their intake. None of them feel sick easily if they cut down their consumption.