Comment: UK's youth have more energy drinks than youngsters in Europe Published on: 11 June 2018 Writing for The Conversation, Dr Shelina Visram and Dr Amelia Lake discuss energy drinks and their popularity with young people. As a nation, we drink 679m litres of the stuff every year. , and , It would be a bit shocking to see children and teenagers drinking espressos, yet it鈥檚 socially acceptable for young people to reach for energy drinks to give them a quick 鈥渂oost鈥�. Unaffected by the economic crisis, energy drinks are the fastest growing sector of the soft drinks market. Between 2006 and 2012 in the UK increased by 12.8% 鈥� from 235m to 475m litres. These drinks are 鈥� despite coming with a warning (in small letters on the back) that they are 鈥渘ot recommended for children鈥�. A survey conducted across 16 European countries found that young people between the ages of ten and 18 in the UK on average than young people in other countries 鈥� just over three litres a month, compared to around two litres in other places. More than two-thirds of young people surveyed in the UK had consumed energy drinks in the past year. And 13% identified as high chronic consumers 鈥� drinking them four to five times a week or more. Research also suggests that these drinks are more popular with boys and young men. What goes into energy drinks? Energy drinks are usually non-alcoholic and contain ingredients known to have stimulant properties. They are marketed as a way to relieve fatigue and improve performance: 鈥淩ed Bull gives you wings鈥�. They contain high levels of caffeine and sugar in combination with other ingredients, such as guarana, taurine, vitamins, minerals or herbal substances. A 500ml can of energy drink for example, can contain and the same amount of caffeine as . Caffeine . Consumed in larger doses, , agitation, sleeplessness, gastrointestinal problems and heart arrhythmias. In the UK, there are no clear recommendations for caffeine intake for adults or children, although both the Food Standards Agency and the that children should only consume caffeine in 鈥渕oderation鈥� and that caffeine content over [150mg/l] should be . The current scientific consensus is that [less than 2.5 mg a day] in children and adolescents is . Should we be worried? The evidence indicates that these drinks do not give you wings 鈥� or any other positive benefits. In fact their intake in young people, is associated with adverse health outcomes. There is growing . Teachers are concerned about the detrimental impact these drinks have on . There is also a known association between soft drink intake, dental erosion and obesity. Lesser known are the effects of the cocktail of stimulant ingredients 鈥� such as guarana and taurine 鈥� contained within these drinks. Energy drink sales in the UK are now worth more than 拢2 billion a year. Our set out to look for any evidence of associations between children and young people鈥檚 consumption of energy drinks and their health and well-being 鈥� as well as their social, behavioural or educational outcomes. We found that for young people, drinking energy drinks is associated with a range of adverse outcomes and risky behaviours. They are strongly and positively associated with higher rates of smoking, alcohol and other substance use 鈥� and linked to physical health symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, hyperactivity and insomnia. Why do young people buy them? We also about their intake of these drinks. Discussions with our participants aged between ten and 14 indicated just how accessible and available these drinks are. They are also cheap 鈥� in some cases significantly cheaper than other soft drinks, as one of the girls we spoke to explained: I think it鈥檚 because like a normal can of Coke is like 70p, and [own brand energy drinks] are like 35p. Our research found that energy drinks are often marketed on gaming sites and linked to sports and an athletic lifestyle 鈥� and are particularly aimed at boys. Taste, price, promotion, ease of access and peer influences were all identified as key factors in young people鈥檚 consumption choices. Speaking with parents and teachers about these drinks there was confusion. Parents themselves identified the need for more information about energy drinks 鈥� and many admitted to not being fully aware of the contents and . Should they be banned? Recently there has been a move to restrict the sales of these drinks to under 16鈥檚 鈥� an approach which has also been . This saw the self-imposed sales restriction by many larger retailers 鈥� including most supermarkets 鈥� to not sell to children under 16. But many places still continue to sell to young people 鈥� including , which offer a wide range of brands, flavours and package sizes. The Commons Science and Technology Committee鈥檚 enquiry into energy drinks and will be reviewing in June 2018 鈥� when we will also give oral evidence. Of course, legislation to prevent the sales of energy drinks to under 16鈥檚 would be helpful. But the marketing of these drinks to young people through computer games and their association with sports is also a much wider issue. Far reaching discussions are needed about the direct and indirect marketing of these drinks (and other food and drinks) through multiple platforms other than TV 鈥� particularly through computer games. , Reader in Public Health Nutrition, and , Senior lecturer in public health, This article was originally published on . Read the . 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