Key Points
- Bridgetown, in Western Australia, is banning people under 18 from buying energy drinks.
- The ban is part of a four-month trial aimed at improving mental health and behaviour.
- Researchers say studies have shown negative health impacts for young people associated with energy drinks.
Shae Evans, now 20, says she became dependent on energy drinks when she started full-time work.
"I would have started drinking them around the age 15 or 16, and that's because I'd left school and then started working and went into working like 40 hours a week ... and it's never really stopped since then," she said.
"Because I am honestly addicted to the caffeine, if I don't have one I get a massive headache, so once I drink one, it doesn't really keep me awake anymore because I'm so used to drinking them, but it makes the headache go away."
A small town in Western Australia has banned under-18s from buying energy drinks as part of a research trial aimed at improving youth mental health and behaviour.
The world-first study in Bridgetown, a town of just under 3,000 people about 270km southeast of Perth, will run for four months. It's being supported by measures before and after the ban, as well as focus groups, surveys, and interviews with store owners and community leaders.
The ban started at the beginning of February and will finish at the end of May, with the study closing at the end of the year.
So, are energy drinks bad for young people?
How do energy drinks impact young people?
Justine Howard, senior research officer at the Telethon Kids Institute, which aims to improve children's health, told SBS News studies show energy drinks are not recommended for children due to addictive ingredients and potential health impacts.
"In a 500 millilitre can of energy drink, for example, it contains [caffeine equivalent to] two cups of coffee, and up to 21 teaspoons of sugar, depending on the brand," she said.
"It can contain an entire day's salt intake for a child."
Ms Howard said studies have shown a number of negative health effects associated with energy drink consumption.
"For example, heart issues or sleeping problems, difficulty concentrating, and gut disturbance," she said.
"And against that background, we were actually approached by the community of Bridgetown itself, who came and spoke to us in relation to issues with energy drinks and young people in the town, but equally concerning health effects and mental health."
Adverse rippling effects
An also found that beverage consumption often clusters with other unhealthy dietary behaviours.
"Data from Australian population survey suggests that intake of energy drinks is highest among adolescents and young adults," said lead researcher Dr Belinda Morley.
Dr Belinda Morley told SBS News the average age of first consuming an energy drink in Australia is 10. Credit: davidf/Getty Images
The findings of the research, published in the BMC Nutrition Journal, also found an increased correlation between adolescents' energy drink intake and being male.
There were also correlations between having a high intake of snacks, fast foods, or other sugar-sweetened beverages, and shorter sleep duration.
"This particular association is concerning, given that sleep is critical for adolescents' optimal development and daily functioning," Dr Morley said.
"We know that inadequate sleep has been found to adversely impact various developmental processes, alternative abilities, and physical and psychosocial functioning."
Experts are concerned about the potential effects of energy drinks on adolescents. Source: iStockphoto / Vadym Petrochenko/Getty Images
What are the regulations on energy drinks?
Energy drinks are covered by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code under formulated caffeinated beverages.
Regulations include the requirement that the drinks be labelled as containing no more than 32 milligrams of caffeine per 100 ml, as well as warnings on the label that the drink contains caffeine, is not suitable for children, pregnant or lactating women, or people sensitive to caffeine.
The drinks must also have a recommended consumption label of a maximum of two 250ml cans a day.
A spokesperson for The Australian Beverages Council, which represents non-alcoholic drinks producers, said in a statement to SBS News that Australia has some of the strictest regulations around the composition and labelling of energy drinks in the world.
They pointed to the council's industry commitments. The commitments include voluntary agreements from energy drinks manufacturers and distributors to: not direct any advertising and marketing activities at children, not sell energy drinks in primary or secondary schools, not promote excessive consumption and not market energy drinks as only providing hydration.
'Kids will definitely get mad'
Shae is skeptical about whether a ban would be effective and says she expects many under-18s will find other ways to access the drinks.
"Kids will definitely get mad, I know if I was under 18 I would get mad if I had to get my mum or my brother or someone to go buy them," she said.
"I feel like the kids who do drink energy drinks would just end up getting someone else to buy it for them."
SBS has contacted the federal health department for comment.
