Poll results reveal more children are drinking caffeine

For many, the morning routine is incomplete without a cup of coffee, but do you remember how old you were when you started your caffeine kick?

A University of Michigan poll surveyed around 1,100 parents with at least one child between the ages of 13—18, where it was discovered that 275 parents admitted to allowing at least one of their kids to drink caffeine one to three times a week.

When further asked about where their children consume caffeine, 81% said that their kids drink it from home, 43% said that they do it while dining out, 35% when hanging out with friends, and 25% at school.

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When asked why they drink beverages with caffeine, 43% of the positive pollers said that their kids consume it because it is their favorite drink, 23% said that they drink it because their peers drink it, and 18% said they consume it to stay awake.

Some additional highlights from the poll read:

• One in four parents says their teen consumes caffeine every day or nearly every day.
• Two in three parents think they know whether their teen is consuming too much caffeine.
• One in three parents do not identify recommended caffeine limits for teens.

There are no federal guidelines on caffeine intake for children, although doctors from Johns Hopkins Medicine say it should be limited.

While the impacts on the nervous and cardiovascular systems are not fully known, too much caffeine can cause increased anxiety, heart rate, blood pressure, and disruption of sleep.

The US Food and Drug Administration says that 400 milligrams per day is “not generally associated with dangerous effects” for healthy adults; the FDA has not given guidance for teens due to insufficient evidence.