Sports Drinks a risk to children’s health
This interesting article below which was published in Dentistry.co.uk makes very interesting reading for everyone who gives their children sugary drinks.
New research has found that 89% of school children are consuming sports drinks, with 68% drinking them regularly (between once and seven times per week).
The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) UK has commented that regular consumption of sports drinks by children, for social reasons, could be having a detrimental effect on their health.
The survey by Cardiff University School of Dentistry, and published in the British Dental Journal, showed that a high proportion (68%) of 12-14-year-olds are regularly consuming high sugar, sports drinks unnecessarily.
The survey looked at 160 children in four schools across South Wales and found that children are attracted to sports drinks because of their sweet taste, low price and availability. The research highlights the fact that parents and children are not aware that sports drinks are not intended for consumption by children.
The FSEM recommends that water and milk is sufficient enough to hydrate children and adults before during and after exercise, there is no evidence of beneficial effects of sports drinks in non-elite athletes or children. However, there is evidence that an increasing consumption of sugar sweetened drinks in the UK increases cardiometabolic risks and contributes to tooth decay. To read the full article click on the link. http://www.dentistry.co.uk/2016/06/27/regular-consumption-of-sports-drinks-a-risk-to-childrens-health/