Dive Brief:
- Teens who consume energy drinks at least once a week are more likely to engage in negative behaviors such as cigarette smoking, according to researchers.
- Among the activities tied to the drinks is the overuse of screen-based media and a poor diet.
- The study, conducted by researchers from Duke University and the University of Minnesota, surveyed and measured 2,793 adolescents.
Dive Insight:
Although researchers found that the consumption of sports drinks corresponded to higher activity levels in participants, the behavior was still associated with increased screen time in front of the TV. Energy drinks didn't seem to be associated with any increase in activity levels, unless video games count: Boys who drank energy drinks at least once a week spent about four additional hours playing the games than those who consumed them less than once a week.
But the study isn't all that shocking. Anecdotal evidence abounds of the link between negative behaviors and caffeine-filled energy drinks or fructose-filled sports drinks.The mopey, troubled teen with poor posture, high body fat and lower-than-average muscle strength, slouching in his chair playing a game on his mobile device isn't likely to be drinking coconut water or kale juice.
At the same time, our memory of the teenage years would suggest that adolescence itself correlates highly with negative behavior.