Teenagers drink too much caffeine

For a long time, consumer advocates and physicians have been criticizing the strong caffeinated drinks sold as "energy drinks". Especially adolescents are endangered. They drink too much of these guards, according to an investigation.

A recent study by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA confirms: Especially young people take through energy drinks dangerously high caffeine. Foodwatch, the consumer organization, called on Federal Minister of Food Christian Schmidt to finally take the science warnings seriously and ban the sale of the controversial watchmakers to children and adolescents. Experts from the World Health Organization WHO have been recommending such an age restriction for some time. The Federal Ministry rejects this so far.

"Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, not saying anything - with regard to energy drinks, Federal Minister of Food, Schmidt, behaves like the famous three monkeys: although the EU Food Safety Authority and the responsible German authorities warn about risks, and experts from the World Health Organization warn against a stop by Red Bull & Co. Minors recommend, Mr. Schmidt persistently ignores all warnings, "criticized Oliver Huizinga of the consumer organization foodwatch.

The EFSA study published yesterday shows that many young people drink too much caffeine through energy drinks. For the first time ever, the EU agency has established a maximum level for caffeine, according to which adults would not experience any side effects with a single 200 milligram caffeine dose. However, according to the EFSA study, one out of every four young people in the EU (between 11 and 17 years old) who use energy drinks drink three or more doses - exceeding the maximum recommended 200 milligrams of caffeine (see Table 4, p. 29 of the EFSA study).

However, both the Federal Nutrition Ministry and the non-alcoholic beverage trade association (Wafg) estimate the energy drinks problem as being small, criticized foodwatch. The Federal Ministry recently claimed that energy drinks have "virtually no statistical significance" for the caffeine intake of adolescents. The wafg also claimed yesterday in a press release that the share of energy drinks in the total daily caffeine intake of adolescents in Germany would be "less than one percent". However, these statements are not tenable: the underlying statistics from the EFSA study (Appendix E, p. 106 of the EFSA study) are based in Germany's case on a survey that is already nine years old and 11-year-old children - EFSA has confirmed this to foodwatch. Statements about the energy drink consumption of adolescents are not feasible on this basis.

Energy drinks are especially popular with children and adolescents: according to EFSA, 68% of young people in the EU drink. High-level consumers are particularly at risk of side effects such as cardiac arrhythmias, seizures or kidney failure. Due to the sweet taste and the targeted marketing with extreme athletes, the cold drinks are not comparable with the likewise strong caffeinated coffee. (Sb)

: andi-h