Energy Drinks and Youth: Risks, Marketing, and Policy Solutions
From pre-workout supplements to carbonated beverages flavored like popular candy, high-caffeine products are increasingly marketed to children and teens. With wide availability from gas stations to school vending machines and promises tied to energy, focus, and performance, these products have become normalized in young people’s daily lives.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has made its position clear: caffeine and other stimulant substances found in energy drinks have no place in the diets of children and adolescents. Yet consumption continues to rise, fueling a public health crisis. Nearly one in three adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 regularly consume energy drinks.
In this session, you’ll learn what the research shows about youth consumption patterns, how energy drinks uniquely affect developing bodies and brains, and how aggressive marketing strategies drive demand among young people.
You’ll also explore policies and regulatory approaches to reduce youth consumption and protect youth health.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe current patterns and trends in caffeine and energy drink consumption among children and adolescents.
- Explain the physical, behavioral, and mental health risks associated with energy drink consumption among youth.
- Analyze how youth-targeted marketing strategies and product availability contribute to the normalization and use of energy drinks among adolescents.
- Identify policy and regulatory approaches that can reduce youth access to and consumption of energy drinks.