A study of focus group on the Korean high school girls’ experiences of energy drink consumption

This study has recently demonstrated that the energy drink consumption is increasing among the adolescents, and the female high school students in particular are vulnerable to the energy drink consumption due to academic stress, lack of sleep, and peer influence.Hence, this study sought to explore the experiences and perceptions of energy drink consumption among the Korean female high school students.The qualitative focus group interview (FGI) approach was used as the research method, and the data were analyzed by using the phenomenological method of Kolachi.The semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 female high school students who had experience consuming energy drinks, divided into five groups.The results of the analysis revealed four major themes and eight subthemes regarding the energy drink consumption.Conclusion: The Korean female high school students mainly consume energy drinks due to academic stress and social influence, and they lack the awareness of long-term health problems.They have difficulty stopping consumption due to the psychological dependence even after experiencing side effects, and educational interventions and regulatory policies are needed to address such.Future studies require the development of preventive programs targeting the adolescents.