Teen Anxiety and Sugary Drinks May Be Linked

Fizz and Feelings: It’s been drilled into all of us by now that sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks wreak havoc on metabolic health, but new research suggests they may be messing with teen mental health, too. Until now, most public health conversations around sugary drinks have zeroed in on obesity and type 2 diabetes. A new study is adding a compelling new dimension to that picture.

The Study: Researchers at Bournemouth University in the U.K. conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of nine studies looking at sugary drink consumption and anxiety in adolescents. Seven of them found a significant association, with high intake linked to a 34% increased risk of anxiety symptoms. The findings were published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.

The Takeaway: The more sugary drinks teens consume, the more likely they are to report anxiety symptoms. If your kid is consuming these daily, it’s worth encouraging them to focus more on drinking water or other unsweetened beverages.

Keep in Mind: The researchers are careful to note that this doesn’t prove sugary drinks directly cause anxiety. Anxious teens may reach for these drinks more often, or shared factors like poor sleep and chronic stress could be driving both patterns at once.