Most of us know that giving kids too much caffeine and sugar can have some nasty side effects, at least in the short term. But what if it also caused long-term mental health issues too?
That’s exactly what a recent study published in the journal Public Health suggests.
Specifically, the study is aimed at what the long-term effects of children consuming energy drinks may be. What they found would seem to be a major warning to parents that children should never touch the stuff.
Now, to be sure, energy drinks haven’t received the greatest rap, even among adults, in regards to long-term use. I mean, the sugar contained in them alone has got to be bad for blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, right?
But in children, it seems the drinks can lead to an increase in things like anxiety, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and even suicidal thoughts.
According to Medical News Today, the study based its results on a “systematic review of 57 previous studies covering 1.2 million children in 21 countries.” What was found is that there seems to be a “strong positive correlation between drinking energy drinks and smoking, alcohol use, binge drinking, and other substance use,” as well as a “(link) to poor sleep quality and short sleep duration, as well as lower academic performance compared to non-energy drinkers.”
So basically, the more energy drinks you consume, the less sleep you get, which usually results in poor academic performance and increased anxiety and depression.
Well, gee. I am shocked…
Needless to say, it has led lead researcher Amelia Lake to say, “This evidence suggests that energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and young people.”
Again, this shouldn’t be a conclusion that surprises anyone.
The question is, should this lead “policymakers” to “follow the example from countries that have placed age restrictions on (energy drink) sales to children,” as Lake suggests?
Or should we be free to make our own health decisions for our kids?
What do you think?
