Child health fears as energy drinks consumption doubles

CONSUMPTION of high caffeine and high calorie energy drinks has more than doubled in the past seven years, leading to growing calls for a ban on selling the drinks to under-16s.

According to the Beverage Council of Ireland (BCI), 34.5 million litres of energy drinks, such as Red Bull and Burn, were consumed in Ireland last year, compared to 15 million litres in 2002.

With exam pressure and the need to study causing even more teenagers to reach for energy-boosting drinks, nutritionists and medical experts have warned that drinking too much caffeine can lead to health problems.