Sugary drinks & rising anxiety in teens · Mind and Body Solutions

Sugary drinks & rising anxiety in teens

Anxiety is now the most commonly reported mental health condition in young people, affecting an estimated one in five adolescents worldwide.

A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that teens who consumed the most sugar-sweetened beverages were 34% more likely to have anxiety disorders, with seven of nine reviewed studies showing a consistent positive association.

The mechanism most worth understanding is the blood sugar effect. Unlike the sugar in whole fruit or even solid desserts, the sugar in beverages is absorbed almost immediately into the bloodstream, producing a sharp spike in blood sugar and insulin followed by a crash that can trigger irritability, fatigue, and anxious feelings. Many parents and teens have no idea how much sugar is in the drinks they consume regularly.

A sweetened matcha or coffee drink at Starbucks can contain 50 to 80 grams of sugar or more, and many teens are ordering them daily. Reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake is a low-risk, high-upside intervention for adolescent mental health.

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