A recent meta-analysis of studies has found a possible relationship between high consumption of sugary drinks and increased anxiety symptoms in teenagers. This is one of the first major reviews to focus specifically on the relationship between sugary drinks and mental health in adolescents. Researchers examined results from several previous studies to identify patterns across different groups of adolescents.

The studies reviewed used mainly survey data (e.g. self-report questionnaires) to measure teenagers’ intake of sugary drinks and their anxiety levels.

The research found that teenagers who regularly consumed large amounts of sugary beverages were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety. The drinks included fizzy drinks, energy drinks, sweetened fruit juices, squashes, flavoured milks, and sugary teas or coffees. Across the studies analysed, the findings were generally consistent: higher intake of sugary drinks was linked with higher levels of anxiety.

Traditionally, research into poor diet in adolescents has focused mainly on physical health issues such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, this research highlights that diet may also have important effects on mental health. Anxiety disorders are already one of the most common mental health problems among young people, with around one in five children and adolescents experiencing a mental health disorder in recent years.

Overall, this study suggests that reducing sugary drink consumption could benefit both physical and mental health in teenagers, but further research is needed to understand the exact relationship and establish whether sugary drinks are a causal factor in anxiety disorders.

References:

Sugary drinks linked to rising anxiety in teens. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 February 2026. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260218044624.htm (accessed 7.5.26)

Karim Khaled, Nathalie Abdulbaki, Orouba Almilaji, Chloe Casey, Fotini Tsofliou. Sugar‐Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Anxiety Disorders in Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 2026; 39 (1) DOI: 10.1111/jhn.70217

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. This study used a ‘meta-analysis’. What is a meta-analysis?
2. This study was correlational. Identify the co-variables in this correlation.
3. What type of correlation is shown in this study? Explain your answer.
4. The study used self-report measures (a survey) to measure the co-variables. Explain one problem with this technique in this study (top tip – link your answer to one of the co-variables to make sure your answer is contextualised)
5. Why can we not establish cause and effect in relation to this research?