A potential ban on children buying energy drinks has been hailed as a “very positive” move by one of the country’s leading obesity experts. 

In the new Programme for Government, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have pledged to “explore restrictions on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks” as a part of a “steadfast commitment to improving public health”. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, HSE Obesity Lead Dr Donal O’Shea described energy drinks as very bad for a child’s health. 

“These energy drinks have surged in consumption among young children and teenagers over the last number of years,” he said. 

“There’s very good evidence that they’re very bad for your ability to concentrate, for your attention span, if you’ve any tendency towards anxiety, it drives that. 

“They simply should not be freely available to purchase as they are at the moment.”

A selection of energy drinks in a shop. Image: Richard Levine / Alamy Stock Photo

Dr O’Shea said many parents know very little about energy drinks and are unaware their children are buying them as part of the latest online trend. 

“These drinks are being promoted heavily through Snapchat, Instagram and by influencers - not in the traditional advertising way,” he said. 

“Many of these energy drinks, parents won’t have even heard of but there’ll be a massive craze in that teenage and young adult group.” 

Despite this, Dr O’Shea predicted “massive opposition” to any move from vested interests. 

“There will be the usual arguments about the nanny state, about job losses,” he said. 

“All the usual threats that the industry uses when they’re trying to oppose something that they fundamentally know… is unhealthy but it’s good for their profit and industry is profit driven.” 

'Keep your kids aware'

To anyone in Government, Dr O’Shea urged them not to “explore for too long” and simply bring forward legislation. 

“Take action,” he said. 

“And to parents, just keep your kids aware that this online influencer promotion of products is a thing that they need to be aware of. 

“So that they’re not just sucked into it, hook, line and sinker.” 

According to a survey by Euromonitor International, in 2019 Ireland was the seventh biggest consumer of energy drinks in the world.

Main image: A teenage boy drinking energy drinks. Picture by: Alamy.com