This article looks at new evidence linking high consumption of sugary drinks to greater anxiety in adolescents, examines the study’s limits, and shares expert reactions and practical tips parents can use to help stabilize teens’ mood and energy.
Researchers in the U.K. pooled data from studies published between 2000 and 2025 to explore whether sugar-sweetened beverages are tied to anxiety in 10- to 19-year-olds. The drinks examined included sodas, energy drinks, sweetened juices, teas and coffee with added sugar. The review found a consistent pattern: higher intake of these beverages was associated with more anxiety symptoms in teens. That pattern showed up in seven of the nine studies the team analyzed.
The headline figure from the analysis is a roughly 34% greater risk of having an anxiety disorder among adolescents with higher sugary drink consumption compared with lower consumers. That number sounds alarming and it matters, but this kind of analysis is based on observational data. Observational studies can highlight links but cannot prove one thing directly causes another.
“With increasing concern about adolescent nutrition, most public health initiatives have emphasized the physical consequences of poor dietary habits, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes,” study co-author Dr. Chloe Casey, lecturer in nutrition at Bournemouth University in the U.K., commented in a press release statement. “However, the mental health implications of diet have been under-explored by comparison, particularly for drinks that are energy-dense but low in nutrients.”
The researchers emphasize uncertainty about directionality: it’s not clear whether sugary drinks help trigger anxiety or if anxious teens reach for sugary drinks more often. “While we may not be able to confirm at this stage what the direct cause is, this study has identified an unhealthy connection between consumption of sugary drinks and anxiety disorders in young people,” Casey said. “Anxiety disorders in adolescence have risen sharply in recent years, so it is important to identify lifestyle habits that can be changed to reduce the risk of this trend continuing.”
Public-health numbers underline the scale of the issue: about 11% of American children aged 3 to 17 were diagnosed with anxiety between 2022 and 2023. “Anxiety problems, behavior disorders and depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children,” states the agency’s website. Those are big numbers when you think about the ripple effects on school, sleep and social life.
“While it’s important to note that this study is correlation, not causation, I have no doubt that a better-designed study would show the same results,” Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein told Fox News Digital. “Soda, aka liquid sugar — with no fiber, protein or fat to slow absorption — floods the bloodstream faster than almost any other type of food or drink,” said Muhlstein, who was not involved in the study. “The pancreas scrambles to respond, insulin spikes, blood sugar crashes and you are left in a dopamine deficit state that looks and feels just like anxiety.”
In her clinical work, Muhlstein has noticed a shift in what teens choose: fewer classic sodas and more specialty coffee drinks, oat milk lattes loaded with syrup, slushies and sports drinks. Those newer options can deliver a heavy sugar hit and, when paired with caffeine, may amplify jitteriness and sleep disruption. “What these kids drink makes a huge difference to their physical and emotional state, and caffeine on top of unstable blood sugar only makes it worse,” Muhlstein warned.
Another nutrition expert stressed that beverages are more than calories; they send signals to the body. Serena Poon, certified nutritionist and longevity expert, said “They provide information to the body and brain,” the expert, who also did not take part in the research, Fox News Digital. “Highly sweetened drinks can create quick energy highs followed by crashes, and when caffeine is added to the mix, it can amplify stress responses in the body.”
Poon recommended that parents encourage less frequent use of sugary beverages and offer water, herbal teas or sparkling water as better options to support steady energy. She also pointed out that meals matter: pairing carbohydrates with fiber, healthy fats and protein helps blunt sugar spikes and supports concentration. “Adolescence is a critical window for brain development, so supporting teens with balanced nutrition, stable energy levels and adequate hydration may help support both physical and emotional well-being,” Poon added.
Beyond mood, excessive sugar intake can affect weight, acne and sleep quality, all of which influence how a teen feels during the day. Small changes—swapping a daily syrup-packed latte for a lower-sugar alternative, limiting sports drinks to recovery sessions, or prioritizing water—can reduce the frequency of blood sugar roller coasters. These steps won’t erase anxiety by themselves, but they can remove one avoidable pressure on a teen’s nervous system.
Given the study’s limits, the safest way forward is practical and low-risk: limit sugary, low-nutrient drinks, promote balanced meals, and monitor how beverages impact sleep and mood. Parents and caregivers who notice persistent anxiety alongside heavy sugary drink use should consider consulting a pediatrician or mental health professional to tackle the issue from all angles.
