Let me get a sippie cup of joe.
US kids are drinking their drug of choice — caffeine — in larger share than ever before by drinking coffee, according to a new study published this week in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
That iced mocha with whipped cream that junior loves from Starbucks is contributing to 24 percent of children getting their caffeine from coffee — a 10 percent jump from a 2000 study.
Soda consumption — still the beverage king for caffeine consumption fell from 62 percent in 2000 to just 38 percent now.
“Coffee has changed dramatically over the last 10 years in terms of the variety and availability,” says Amy Branum, lead author of the report and a health statistician for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“There are a lot of drinks out there that are going to be more available and appealing to children.”
Why are more kids opting for coffee? Experts say there has been a reversal in attitudes in recent years as coffee, which was previously painted as dangerous — especially for children — is coming to be viewed as relatively healthy.
Many of the reports that linked coffee consumption to stunted growth and heart disease have been debunked, says coffee historian Mark Pendergrast, author of “Uncommon Grounds,” a book on how coffee has changed over the years. Instead, recent research has shown that drinking coffee can lower the risk of liver cancer and protect against Type 2 diabetes, in addition to providing other health benefits.