Energy Drinks = More Video Games, TV Viewing

First it was video games.  Then it was movies.  Now sports and energy drinks are "significantly associated with higher consumption of other sugar-sweetened beverages, cigarette smoking, and screen media use," according to newswise.com.

 Although national data have shown a decline in the prevalence of soft drink and fruit drink consumption, sports and energy drink consumption has tripled among adolescents in recent years, the Web site reports. The high caffeine content of energy drinks, as well as the high sugar and calorie content of many sports and energy drinks, has drawn much concern from health professionals.

 “Among boys, weekly sports drink consumption was significantly associated with higher TV viewing; boys who regularly consumed sports drinks spent about one additional hour per week watching TV compared with boys who consumed sports drinks less than once per week,” newswise quotes lead author Nicole Larson, PhD, MPH, RDN, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 

 "Boys who consumed energy drinks at least weekly spent approximately four additional hours per week playing video games compared to those who consumed energy drinks less than once per week," she adds.

 So is it the worst thing in the world to watch a lot of TV or play too many video games? Of course not.  But presumably these activities eat up hours that could better be spent playing sports or being with friends or outside. 

 I myself don't drink them because of the sugar content. But they are very popular, I know.  I don't know if they truly give you more energy, or if it's just the sugar and caffeine.  

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