Caffeinated energy drinks may put kids’ health at risk

Getting a quick boost from caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) at least five times per week can cause some health and behaviour problems, such as worse sleep, raised blood pressure, hyperactivity, irritation, and poorer school performance, as suggested in a study.

Researchers performed a systematic review and accessed multiple online databases to search for studies that assessed CED consumption by children aged <18 years. The initial search yielded 1,102 references, of which 15 were included in the review.

Of the studies, six reported drinking prevalence and 14 described associations between drinking and health or behaviour. Across reviews, about 13–67 percent of children worldwide had consumed energy drinks in the past year. Pooled data from two UK-based studies showed that 3–32 percent of children consumed energy drinks weekly, with no difference by ethnicity.

Evidence from reviews and datasets regarding CED consumption prevalence by age and ethnicity was inconsistent. For example, boys drank more than girls, but consumption was more frequent among younger than older girls. Meanwhile, children with minority ethnicity drank more than White children, but more White children consumed CED relative to Black or Hispanic children, when drinks were mixed with alcohol. In the UK, CED consumption was common among boys, those who were older, and those with lower socioeconomic status.

Frequent drinking (5 or more days per week) was associated with low psychological, physical, educational, and overall well-being. Furthermore, those who consumed CED reported more headaches, sleep problems, alcohol use, smoking, irritability, and school exclusion.

GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) assessment indicated that the evidence was weak, while the risk of bias using AMSTAR2 ratings were low or critically low.