Swedish teenagers lead Nordic energy drink consumption

Swedish teenagers drink energy drinks more often than their peers elsewhere in the Nordic region, SVT reports, citing a new Nordic study led by the Swedish Food Agency. Sweden also has a higher proportion of teenagers showing signs of dependence.

Among Swedish 15 to 19 year olds, 75 percent drink energy drinks at least once a week, while 28 percent drink them at least once a day. Taste and the energy boost are the main attractions, but 38 percent of those who drink energy drinks report sleep problems.

Swedish teenagers also more often report symptoms such as tiredness and headaches when they do not drink an energy drink.

Higher caffeine content

Swedish teenagers do not drink larger amounts on each occasion, but they consume more caffeine. Sabina Litens Karlsson, a toxicologist and project manager at the Swedish Food Agency, said the most popular energy drink in Sweden contains relatively high levels of caffeine.

Denmark and Norway have maximum caffeine limits, meaning energy drinks there cannot contain more caffeine than the brands with the lowest caffeine content in Sweden, she said.

The study does not explain why Swedish teenagers drink energy drinks more often. Litens Karlsson pointed to stricter regulations on marketing unhealthy products in several other Nordic countries as one possible explanation. Norway has also introduced an age limit of 16.

Sweden advises people under 16 not to consume more than 70 milligrams of caffeine per day. Depending on the caffeine content, that corresponds to 125 to 220 millilitres of an energy drink. However, the study found that most Swedish teenagers drink 250 to 330 millilitres per occasion.

Sweden has no ban on energy drink marketing, although the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish Food Agency have proposed one to the government. There is also no statutory age limit, though many shops have introduced their own 15-year age limit.

The Swedish Food Agency now plans to work directly with teenagers across the Nordic region and experts to find ways to reduce consumption. Litens Karlsson said the level was concerning because energy drinks are closely linked to teenagers’ daily lives.

Swedish teenagers more often say they need energy drinks to perform at school, and around half say they sometimes cannot get through the day without one.

The study is based on responses from more than 4,900 teenagers aged 15 to 19 in the Nordic countries. Overall, 61 percent drink energy drinks at least once a week and 22 percent do so at least once a day. Thirty percent have experienced a negative effect, most commonly heart palpitations, sleep problems or headaches.

Among regular consumers, 15 percent have felt discomfort when they did not drink an energy drink, most commonly tiredness and headaches. Seventeen percent said they could not get through the day without one.