Does Daily caffeinated soda consumption in children make them likely to try alcohol within a year?

A new study published in the journal Substance Use & Misuse has found a link between caffeinated soda consumption and alcohol use in children. The study, which involved over 2,000 children aged 9-10, found that those who reported drinking caffeinated soda daily were twice as likely to state they had sipped alcohol one year later.

The expert team aimed to not only see if there was a connection between alcohol use and caffeinated soda consumption in younger children, but also better understand the relationship between drinking the beverage and well-known risk factors of substance use disorder such as reduced working memory (for example holding a short sequence of numbers in our head for a few minutes) and increased impulsivity.

To test these cognitive functions, the children were given a series of tasks to do while their brain activity was recorded. For example, in one task, participants had to determine whether an object presented to them was the same as that shown in the two preceding trials.

The study also found that daily drinkers of caffeinated soda were more impulsive and had poorer working memory. These findings are important because they suggest that caffeinated soda consumption may be a risk factor for alcohol use in children.

The study's authors say that their findings should raise concerns about the amount of caffeinated soda that children are consuming. They recommend that parents limit their children's intake of caffeinated soda and talk to them about the risks of alcohol use.

Ref: Caffeinated soda intake in children is associated with neurobehavioral risk factors for substance misuse, Substance Use & Misuse

DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2259471