A study on caffeine consumption and its association with stress and appetite among call centre employees in Mumbai city, India
Background: Caffeine is a widely consumed chemical having controversial effects. Caffeine may interact with the satiety and may be associated with stress levels. The prevalence of caffeine consumption among call centre employees is known to be high. The aim of the study was to assess the caffeine intake, appetite levels, stress levels and correlate these parameters among call centre employees aged between 25-35 yearsMethods: A cross sectional study with purposive sampling was carried out among a call centre at Mumbai, India. Anthropometric measurements and structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Results: The average caffeine intake was 200mg/day through coffee and 150mg/day through tea among the habitual consumers. As per the scoring categories of modified appetite questionnaire (CNAQ), 54.7% (n=64) of the participants were at risk to abnormally low appetite. The stress questionnaire results showed that 84.6% (n=99) of the participants were at high risk to stress. Significant negative association was found between coffee intake and appetite score (r- 0.55, p<0.001), indicating that with more coffee consumption the appetite score was lower, similarly significant negative association was seen between tea consumption and appetite score (r- 0.300, p<0.05). Habitual smoking along with daily coffee intake had a significant negative association with appetite score (r- 0.476, p<0.05). Significant difference (p<0.01) was observed between the mean appetite score of habitual smokers and non-smokers; mean appetite score of non-smokers was greater.Conclusions: Caffeine had a negative impact on the appetite levels. Smoking was observed to worsen the effect of caffeine on appetite.