A third of children, mostly teenagers, consume at least one energy drink per week, according to a new study from the UK.
Research shows that some children consume energy drinks almost daily.
in BMJ Open magazine released In the study, experts warned that children who consume too much energy drinks may have headaches and sleep problems.
On the other hand, high energy drink consumption of children is also associated with their failure in education.
Energy drinks containing high caffeine, sugar and other stimulants are not allowed to be sold to anyone under the age of 16 in many UK markets.
A 250 milliliter energy drink contains almost as much caffeine as a double espresso.
The British government has already announced that it will soon ban the sale of energy drinks to children, on the grounds that advice and warning labels do not deter some.
The latest study, commissioned by the UK Department of Health and Social Care, analyzed data on energy drink consumption by thousands of children in the UK, as well as youth from around the world, including the US and Canada. Data from Turkey was not included in the study.
Some of the preliminary results of the research are as follows:
Around half of the world’s children and a third of children in the UK consume these beverages at least once a week
Boys consume more than girls
There is a link between poverty and energy drink consumption
- Consumption of five or more per week is linked to poorer mental and physical health and worse school performance.
“Our research has uncovered consistent evidence of links between regular consumption of these beverages and their deleterious effects on children’s overall health,” said Claire Khouja of the University of York, who led this research.
Khouja said the findings provide support for government policies that ban the sale of energy drinks to children.
“According to our research, children who are more informed about the content of energy drinks consume less of these drinks. Therefore, it is concluded that educational campaigns and informative warnings on packaging can reduce consumption.”
Medical professionals, who wrote an article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) last year, warned of the dangers of these drinks, pointing to the development of heart failure in a teenager who drinks too much energy drinks.
A 21-year-old college student was hospitalized for 58 days after drinking 500 ml of energy drinks every day for two years.
Energy drinks and their ingredients are considered safe by regulatory authorities around the world.
British Beverage Association (BSDA) President Gavin Partington stated that its members do not market or promote energy drinks for those under the age of 16, nor do they sample these age groups.
“Also, there is a warning notice on energy drinks that says ‘not recommended for children’. We are committed to promoting the responsible sale of energy drinks,” Partington said.
How much caffeine is in each drink?
- 500 ml energy drink – 160 mg caffeine
- 250 ml energy drink – 80 mg caffeine
- A cup of filter coffee – 90 mg
- Double espresso – 60mg
- A cup of black tea – 50 mg
- A standard can of cola – 40 mg
- In a 50 g chocolate – 25 mg
Source: BSDA