Commentary: Correlates of Concurrent Energy Drink and Alcohol Use among Socially Active Adults

Background: Despite the popularity of caffeinated energy drinks mixed with alcohol, the links between these beverages and patterns of problem drinking are not yet well understood. The aim of this short commentary is to review a current study investigating the environmental contexts within which AmED use occurs, and to examine its implications. Materials and methods: The strengths of Wells and colleagues' study are reviewed. The researchers used a field-based survey to survey 1,476 adult patrons at a range of New York City nightlife scenes. Results: The importance of the study lies in its exploration of the urban nightlife venues within which energy drinks and alcohol are used concurrently by socially active adults. Previous research has largely been confined to investigations of either the physiological effects of alcohol/caffeine coadministration or the demographic, psychosocial, and problem-behavioral correlates of AmED use. The present study's context-oriented approach offers a third avenue of inquiry. Conclusions: The findings are relevant in light of the growing consensus that regular AmED use should be a source of concern to advocates of public health. Future researchers will need to assess the relative importance of physiological, demographic, and contextual factors influencing relationships between AmED use and other health-risk behaviors, and their implications for public policy.