Age And Sex Moderates The Association Between Excessive Caffeine Consumption And Sedentary Behavior Amongst Us Adolescent Aged 14 - 17 Years.

Although the FDA have not determined safe levels of caffeine for children and adolescents, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages caffeine consumption for young children and recommends that adolescents aged 12 - 17 should limit their caffeine intake (CAFF) to less than 100 mg per day. While studies have examined the association between CAFF and sedentary behavior in children and adolescents, the potential moderating effects of age and sex on this relationship have not yet been explored. PURPOSE: To determine the potential moderating effect of age and sex on the association between excessive CAFF and sedentary behavior. METHODS: Data on 1286 adolescents (ages 14 - 17 years, 50.3% female) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2015 - 2018. Self-report sedentary behavior was determined by time spent watching TV and computer use (≥2 (excessive) vs. <2 hours/day). CAFF was assessed using 2-day dietary recall and categorized as number of days with >100 mg (0, 1, or 2 days). Logistic regression for complex survey data was used to analyze the data. The fully conditional specification method was used to handle missing data. RESULTS: 48% and 36% reported CAFF exceeding 100 mg/day on one or two days, respectively. Overall, 44% and 47% reported spending 2+ hours watching TV and computer use, respectively. CAFF was not associated with excessive TV watching and age and sex were not significant moderators. However, age (p < .0001) and sex (p = .0105) were found to be significant moderators of the association between excessive CAFF and excessive computer use. This association was observed to be strongest for males and for those 16 years old (see Figure). CONCLUSION: Age and sex moderates the association between excessive CAFF and excessive computer time, suggesting that tailored interventions to reduce sedentary behavior may require simultaneous efforts to address excessive CAFF with careful consideration of the adolescent’s age and sex.