High Caffeine Intake Can Lead to Behavioral Issues in Teens

TOPLINE:

Among young adolescents, daily caffeine consumption exceeding 100 mg is associated with increases in conduct problems, with daytime sleepiness serving as a mediating factor.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers investigated the potential impact of caffeine consumption on daytime drowsiness and behavioral issues in 2633 middle school students across 20 schools in West Virginia.
• Data collection began in the first semester of sixth grade and continued through four waves at 6-month intervals.
• The students were asked to self-report their daytime sleepiness, caffeine consumption, and conduct problems; information on family management and student demographics was also collected.

TAKEAWAY:

• Compared with no caffeine consumption, consumption of 100 mg or more caffeine was associated with increases in conduct problems (estimate [Est.], 0.22; P = .015) and daytime sleepiness (Est., 0.38; P = .001).
• The association between caffeine consumption and conduct problems remained significant even after accounting for multiple confounding variables.
• Researchers found that increases in daytime sleepiness partially mediated the effect of caffeine consumption on conduct problems (Est., 0.22; P = .002).
• Compared with no caffeine consumption, consumption of less than 100 mg caffeine was not associated with increases in daytime sleepiness or conduct problems.

IN PRACTICE:

“Our analyses revealed a positive association between daily caffeine consumption of 100 mg and growth in conduct problems from ages 11-13 years,” the authors wrote. “Our findings support the recommendation of the AAP [American Academy of Pediatrics] and AACAP [American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry] that children under 12 years of age should not consume caffeine,” they added.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Steven M. Kogan, PhD, Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. It was published online on January 24, 2025, in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

LIMITATIONS:

The study sample primarily comprised White/non-Hispanic children from West Virginia, potentially limiting generalizability to other geographical regions or racial/ethnic groups. The research relied solely on self-reporting by youths, which may have introduced common method bias. No data were available regarding when children first began using caffeine. The assessment of sleep was limited to daytime sleepiness, lacking comprehensive data on sleep quality and duration that could inform the understanding of the extent of caffeine addiction and withdrawal symptoms.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The authors reported no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.