Drinks that could be a super-sized problem

Jerril Rechter
February 01, 2013
Herald Sun

IN a time-poor society, everyone is looking for a quick fix. But you won’t find it in a can of energy drink by the cash register.

Consumers need to be aware that those products won’t deliver a miracle. What you’re paying for is a load of marketing guff.

Modern life is tiring. It’s no wonder the promise of a pick-me-up vitamin-infused wonder drink is so tempting. But all you’re buying is a big dose of sugar, salt and caffeine. Drink enough and you’re at increased risk of obesity, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

As reported in the Herald Sun, Australians drank 225 million litres of energy drinks last year, about 10 litres per person. And as they rise in popularity, these products are also expanding in size.

Over the past year, almost all energy drink brands have upsized their products and placement in major supermarkets has become more in-your-face. Dedicated fridges full of brightly coloured cans and bottles have replaced chocolates in the impulse buy checkout lane.

Last year, V Australia introduced a 1.2-litre sized “share pack” to the market. Heavily flogged on Facebook, the huge caffeine hit has prompted a wave of commentary from young V enthusiasts boasting they can drink it in one sitting.

But none of the vitamin and mineral additives in energy drinks is required in the typical Australian diet. The vast majority of us are not deficient in taurine or Vitamin B, so the nutrients aren’t stored.

As we learn more about energy drinks, it is becoming clear that they are far from innocent.

An Australian study of 297 calls made to the Poisons Information Line concerning energy drinks from 2004 to 2010 found common complaints were heart palpitations, agitation, tremors and upset stomachs.

Twenty-one people reported serious cardiac and neurological symptoms, including hallucinations, seizures and heart problems. At least 128 required admission to hospital. A five-fold rise in energy drink-related calls to the Poisons Information Line in just six years is cause for concern.

So what can be done? While VicHealth is not interested in a ban, there are things we can do before the trend does serious harm, to young people in particular.

Currently, the Federal Government is inquiring into energy drinks to find out how much of a health risk they pose. VicHealth is keen to see the results of that inquiry.

Consumers should know the facts about what they’re buying.

The manufacturers of energy drinks will say that Australia has the most stringent regulations in the world, but that it isn’t enough.

The warnings are written in tiny writing. There’s no cap on how big the drinks can be.

And, while manufacturers claim that no product is marketed at children, social media tells a different story. Why else would they be marketed as a homework aid?

The average energy drink enthusiast is 17, and we know young people love mixing them with alcohol.

This dangerous practice has led to confirmed deaths overseas, and packaged alcoholic energy drinks were associated with the death of a Victorian teenager last year.

VicHealth called for a ban on alcoholic energy drinks at the time, but nothing has happened.

To be fair, consuming the amount of caffeine in the safe daily limit of energy drinks (400 millilitres) won’t do you much harm.

But the 44 grams of sugar you’re ingesting might. After all, you wouldn’t add nine teaspoons of sugar to your coffee.

So, while we don’t agree that a ban on energy drinks is necessary, we do want manufacturers to be concerned about the potential harm to children.

In a country where, in 15 years, seven million of us will be obese, we need to protect current and future generations from the illnesses associated with sugary drinks.

Jerril Rechter is VicHealth’s chief executive officer