New evidence of energy drinks’ health risks resumes calls for UK under-16s sale ban

17 Jan 2024 --- Health organizations and experts in the UK are calling on the government to renew plans to prohibit the sale of energy drinks to consumers under the age of 16, as a recent scientific study review presents concerning details about the physical and mental health issues in children consuming the drinks.

“There were well-documented concerns about some of the effects of energy drinks on children including hyperactivity, behavioral issues, lack of concentration, energy slumps and fatigue,” Barbara Crowther, Children’s Food Campaign manager at the UK NGO Sustain, which is advocating for the ban, tells Food Ingredients First.

Experts find that the effects energy drinks can have on children include hyperactivity, behavioral issues, lack of concentration, energy slumps and fatigue.“The new evidence review makes it much clearer than before that there could be an association between these drinks and young people’s mental health in terms of anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep patterns and other types of unsafe behavior.”

The study review conducted by researchers at the Fuse Centre for Translational Research in Public Health at Teesside University and Newcastle University, UK and published in Public Health looked at 57 research papers covering the impact of energy drinks on over 1.2 million children and young people up to the age of 21.

New evidence 
The results showcase that boys tend to consume more energy drinks than girls and that there is a “strong positive association” between the consumption of such beverages and smoking, alcohol use, binge eating and other substance abuse. Researchers found a strong link between sensation-seeking and delinquent behaviors, short sleep duration, poor quality of sleep, and low academic performance. 

The studies included were conducted in North America (16), Europe and Central Asia (24), East Asia and Pacific (7) and Middle East and North Africa (8), with two involving multiple countries.

Additional health concerns shown to be associated with energy drink consumption include a higher risk of suicide, psychological distress, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, depressive and panic behaviors, allergic diseases, insulin resistance, dental caries and erosive tooth wear.

The large-scope study review adds to a growing body of scientific work denoting energy drink use’s detrimental effects, especially on younger consumers. Based on this conclusion, the authors recommend that the precautionary principle be taken in policy making and that sales to those under 16 are restricted.

 “In response to the new findings, we have immediately convened 41 leading health experts and organizations to express our concerns directly to government health ministers, and also we’ve written to the Labour Party frontbench health team to ask them for support in pushing for action,” Crowther asserts. 

Growing demand 
Market data for the UK reveals that in 2023, consumer interest in sports and energy drinks grew by 21.6% compared to the previous year. “Sales have been booming with the launch of new high-profile brands like Prime Energy,” says Crowther.

Analysis of the Prime energy drink that went “viral” online owing to an advertising campaign by social media influencers popular among young men revealed it contains L-theanine, which is already banned for use in soft drinks in the EU.

In response to the new findings, UK experts have sent a letter to policymakers requesting stricter laws on energy drink sales.“We’re aware that for every attempt to regulate for a healthier food system, there is significant industry lobbying and pressure on the government to delay and derail plans and protect their profits,” Crowther acknowledges. 

“However, just like tobacco and alcohol, high caffeine energy drinks are already required by law to carry a warning label that they are ‘not suitable for children’,” she reminds. “We hope this new report will be a timely reminder of the need for action.”

Call for regulation
In a 2019 green paper, the UK government considered legislation to restrict the sale of energy drinks to children, and a consultation on the matter resulted in 93% of respondents supporting such regulation. 

“It’s now almost six years since the government pledged to regulate so that shops stop selling high caffeine energy drinks to children. We know that their public consultation came out overwhelmingly in favor of action, but there has been no progress, despite lots of questions being asked of ministers over the years,” the campaigner explains.

“While we can understand that during the recent pandemic the Department for Health had more immediate priorities to deal with, it is now time to get the child health strategy back on track.” 

In their letter to the government, the alliance of health organizations and experts call for policymakers to uphold their promise and to implement a nationwide restriction. 

“Many supermarkets have already put their own voluntary policy in place and support a level playing field for all. Quite simply, we need the government to step up and fulfill its long-standing promise to restrict sales to under-16s,” Crowther concludes. 

By Milana Nikolova