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Energy drinks make kids 'fat, not fit' - study

A study published in an American journal finds that many parents are buying kids high-sugar drinks believing them healthy.

PARENTS ARE MISTAKENLY buying high-sugar energy drinks for their children in an attempt to get them healthy – giving them more energy than they can burn and making them fat, according to a new study.

The report from the American Academy and Pediatrics said that parents were buying energy drinks for children to try and supplement their healthy lifestyles, but that their children weren’t active enough to use the fuel they were taking in.

While both sports and energy drinks were criticised by the study, the Independent reports that the energy drinks were singled out for particular criticism.

The report’s authors opined that such drinks “should never” be given to children, because they contain levels of caffeine that are toxic to younger bodies.

The article, which calls on parents to simply give their children water instead of caffeine-loaded drinks, is published in the latest edition of the journal Pediatrics.

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3 Comments
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    Mute Tim Cleary
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    Jun 3rd 2011, 7:00 PM

    So many of my friends (all around the age of 15 and 16) drink energy drinks like they water! It’s no wonder that we’re getting fatter!

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