Experts Warn Aussie Kids Are Getting Fat On Energy Drinks

Aussie parents are being warned to give their kids water to drink instead of energy drinks, which can contain up to 270 calories per drink.

Energy drinks are loading kids up with calories they can’t burn off, experts say, and can have such adverse affects on children as concentration problems, behavioural issues and accelerated cardiac function due to caffeine.

Associate Professor John Dixon from Monash University’s Obesity Unit says parents need to help their kids understand calories in food and drink. "We need to be very wary of our calorie intake through drinks and to have energy drinks as the way kids keep their energy up is not very logical and not at all healthy," said Professor Dixon.

"Healthy habits need to be set up early through better physical activity as well as good food and drink selection, not products like energy drinks, which are high in calories and terribly high in sugar.

"We would prefer kids get energy from fruit and vegetables and get protein as well, instead of energy from the high sugar sodas," Professor Dixon said.

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Monash Nutrition and Dietetics Department’s Professor Helen Truby, said kids should really just be drinking water, followed by milk: “The best drink for children is water; it will hydrate them, quench their thirst and doesn't input extra unnecessary energy."

Healthy kids don’t need the energy drinks, Professor Truby explained. "They contain a lot of sugar, same as cola, very similar amounts of sugar," said Professor Truby.

"Most children don't need that amount of energy in their diet, you'd have to run around an awful lot to burn that energy."

What do you think? Do your kids drink energy drinks?