RESEARCH PROPSAL
Awareness of Energy Drinks
SUBMITTED BY
Asma Haleem 10533
SUBMITTED TO
Ms. Kausar Saeed
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 4 Statement of the problem ......................................................................................................... 4 Importance of Research ........................................................................................................... 5 LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................ 6 METHODS................................................................................................................................. 7 RESULTS................................................................................................................................... 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY....................................................................................................................... 9
2
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
ABSTRACT Energy drinks are soft drinks advertised as providing energy to improve physical activity of the drinker. These are energy boo sting drinks. This research thoroughly analyzes the usage of Energy drinks among consumers, and the effect on their health. The report includes the different types of Energy Drinks and the users of these drinks. The main theme of this research is to analyze the usage of Energy drinks among consumers, and the effect on their health. The information for this report will be obtained through descriptive and exploratory research, interviews will be taken of various shopkeepers in order to check the consumer response towards Energy Drink and questionnaires will be filled by p eople located at different places of Karachi.
3
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
INTRODUCTION In recent years, there has been a growing demand for alternatives to soft drinks containing sugar. "Regular" soft drinks today contain high fructose corn syrup, and have been blamed in recent years for contributing to obesity. Sugars, like carbohydrates, stimulate the production of the hormone insulin, which causes the body to store fat rather than burn it. Energy drinks are soft drinks advertised as boosting energy. The central ingredient in most energy drinks is caffeine, the same stimulant found in coffee or tea, often in the form of Guarana or mate. These artificial energy boosters are also controversial, as many of them are subject to claims that they may cause nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness, increased urination, abnormal heart rhythms and stomach upset. This research report measures the level of awareness of Energy Drinks available in the market among the consumers and highlights its pros and cons.
Statement of the problem The topic of this report is ³ Awareness of Energy Soft Drinks among Consumers in Karachi´. This report covers y
Are people really using Energy drinks?
y
Who are the users of these Energy drinks and what are the reasons for which they are using these drinks?
y
What are the perceived benefits they find in having an Energy soft drink and how it has helped them in their lives?
y
What are the views of people and doctors about Energy Drinks and are they harmful for health or not.
4
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Importance of Research The research analyzes the usage of Energy Drink among people of Karachi. It assesses the attitudes of the people. The result of this research can benefit people who are not using it, as it gives a clear picture and better information about the harmful and useful effects of these drinks . This research may be beneficial
to the beverage industry, as it will help them to get an insight into people¶s attitudes and awareness level towards Energy drink.
5
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
LITERATURE REVIEW Energy drinks are carbonated drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine and sugar w ith additional ingredients, such as B vitamins, amino ac ids (e.g. taurine), and herbal stimulants such as guarana. Energy drinks are marketed primarily to people between the ages of 18 and 30 as a stimulant, which is why energy drinks have names that convey strength, power, and speed, and sexuality. The energy drinks has high percentage of caffeine and the amount of caffeine in an energy drink isn't always indicated on the label, so it is difficult to gauge how much one is consuming. Energy drinks are marketed as all natural energy boosters loaded with exotic ingredients that popular culture believes healthy. Data suggests that these energy drinks are marketed to youngsters pushing them as performance enhancers without warning them of side effects like nausea, vomiting, high blood pressures, tremors, dizziness and numbness. On the contrary, another data analyzes that energy drinks really boo sts your energy level, and there is a significant gains in both endurance and mental sharpness, and relieves the stress after training sessions However, the long term effects of energy drink ingreadients, are still not kno wn, and whether they are harmful or not is yet to be researched and infact, its different from person to person and depends on the level of consumption.
6
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
METHODS
y
y
y
y
y
The research is a descriptive and exploratory study as it explores the attitude and awareness level of people towards the Energy drink. The data collected will be from secondary sources and through a survey. Questionnaires and interviews will be used to gather information. The respondents of this study will be students, health conscious people, doctors and shop keepers of Karachi. Shopkeepers will be interviewed to investigate the consumer behavior about the Energy drinks, whether the trend of Energy drinks is decreasing or increasing. Stratified Sampling method will be used.
7
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
RESULTS Statistical tools will then be used to analyze t he data obtained these tools can be graphs, tables, pie charts, and illustrations.
8
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. David Gutierrez (2009), Energy Drinks Causing Ca ffeine Intoxication, http://www.naturalnews.com/025529_caffeine_energy_drinks_alcohol.html 2. Micheal Mason (2006), The Energy-Drink Buzz is Unmistakable. The health Impact Is Unknown, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/health/12cons.html?_r=1 3. Kathleen Doheny (2008), Energy Drinks: Hazardous to Your Health?, http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20080924/energy-drinks-hazardous-to-yourhealth 4. Acer News Release (2004), Energy drinks donot help maintain alchohol buzz, http://alcoholism.about.com/od/college/a/blacer0409017.htm 5. BrainX (2004), Energy Drinks: Ingredients and Dangers, http://brianx.com/nightlife/energy-drinks.html
9