From the article:
They claim to give you that extra boost, but recent studies have shown that energy drinks containing large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants, can actually cause major health problems in children, teens and young adults. In fact, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, of the 5,448 U.S. caffeine overdoses reported in 2007, 46% occurred in those younger than 19 years. Now a new report in the journal of Pediatrics warns parents, and doctors that these drinks could be especially dangerous to children with ADHD, diabetes, sleep issues and eating disorders.
Who knew?
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/14/pediatricians-parents-warned-on-energy-drink-dangers/?hpt=T2
Fast food, faulty vehicles, and energy drinks are all mechanisms of corporate crime. However, because all are legal and conveniently available for purchase, the media do not expose them as being potentially fatal; meanwhile guns and marijuana are chastized for what they are doing to America's youth. CNN noted that $147 billion would be spent on healthcare this year due to obesity-related issues - that is nearly 20% of our healthcare spending. Fast food and massive amounts of sugar, such as those found in energy drinks, are two contributing causes.
ReplyDeleteAs the majority of caffeine overdoses are occuring in young adults, aged 19 and below, perhaps an alternative would be to enforce limitations on who can purchase energy drinks, or if they should even remain on the market at all. Personally, my parents never let us drink soda and coffee was strictly for them: therefore, the first time I was in college and needed to stay up all night, I would get an energy drink from one of the campus vending machines. Just like the first time I was hungry in my dorm room: it was the vending machine or a quick trip to get fast food.
Energy drinks and fast food have a lot in common: they are (relatively) cheap, convenient, and easy to find at any gas station or grocery store (where they can even be purchased in bulk) They especially target young adults and teens with artsy and enticing labels, as well as glamorized advertisements that show ordinary people able to perform amazing feats with just a sip of Red Bull. While I enjoy the liberty of being able to go get a McDonalds burger or have an energy drink from time to time, that liberty is outweighed by the people that abuse both on a day-to-day basis. If no system can be set up to allot these items in moderation, perhaps they should be done away with completely.
Just as car dealerships are expected to fix faulty mechanical errors (that are potentially fatal) and fast food establishments are asked to limit the fat and sodium on their menus (to avoid potentially fatal consequences), energy drinks should be monitored as well...especially in young children who are not informed or responsible enough to make dietary decisions. If the media were to generate more coverage on these issues, perhaps parents would be less afraid to send their children to school, and more afraid to send them to school with money to purchase fast food and energy drinks out of the vending machines, especially if they knew their child had problems with sleeping, ADD, or diabetes.
The media are out to make their profit. They want to promote the products their advertisers sell. We only get to hear the positive side of the advertisers' story. If these energy drinks are bad for all of us now, then weren’t they also bad when they were first seen in advertisements? The media have kept valuable information, this time regarding public health, away from us. They are protecting their interests, their advertisers. It would be nice to know that the media would put the public first and present us with the information we need to hear, rather than hide behind their advertisers' skirts.
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