By Leanne Vuksanic, The State Column
A new government study aiming to identify caffeine intake trends over the past decade in children and adolescents made an interesting discovery.
Teens drinking coffee. Photo from Thinkstock.com
The study found that approximately 73 percent of children consumed caffeine on a given day. The main sources of caffeine included soda, tea, coffee and energy drinks.
Furthermore, they determined that age was a factor, as “the percentage of consumers increased from 63 percent among 2-to 5-year-olds to more than 75 percent among the older age groups.” The main source of caffeine for 2- to 5-year-olds was tea, according to the study.
The researchers assessed trends and demographic differences in caffeine intake among children and adolescents using the 24-hour dietary recall data from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
They concluded that “mean intake has not increased among children and adolescents in recent years,” but that coffee and energy drinks represent a greater source of caffeine as soda intake declines.
The study, titled, “Trends in Caffeine Intake Among US Children and Adolescents,” was published in the journal Pediatrics.
Read the full article by Leanne Vuksanic from the State Column.
