Sugary Drinks Linked to Teen Anxiety

**New Research Links Sugary Drinks to Teen Anxiety – And It’s More Than Just the Sugar Rush**

An excess of sugary drinks can specifically lead to a higher risk of anxiety among teens, a new study shows. In a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, U.K. researchers reviewed various studies from 2000 to 2025. They explored the link between drinking sugar-sweetened beverages – like sodas, energy drinks, sweetened juices, teas and coffee – and anxiety disorders in adolescents between 10 and 19 years old.

IS YOUR DIET MISSING A BRAIN-BOOSTING COMMON NUTRIENT? NEW ANXIETY STUDY RAISES CONCERN Teens with a higher consumption of sugary drinks were found to have about a 34% greater risk of having an anxiety disorder compared to those who drank less. Seven out of the nine studies analyzed by the researchers showed a significant positive association between sugary drink intake and anxiety symptoms.

Study co-author Dr. Chloe Casey, a nutrition lecturer at Bournemouth University in the U.K., said the team was “struck by how consistent the association was between sugary drink consumption and anxiety in adolescents.” “These findings align with a growing body of research showing that diets high in sugar are linked not only to physical health risks, but also to poorer mental health outcomes,” she told Fox News Digital. “This reinforces the emerging understanding that what adolescents eat and drink may meaningfully influence their mental health.”

RFK JR CALLS OUT POPULAR CHAINS OVER HIGH-SUGAR COFFEE DRINKS: WHAT’S REALLY IN YOUR CUP? This introduces an opportunity to “reframe the conversation” when talking to teens about mental health, as diet is often not the focus, she said. “Encouraging healthier dietary choices, including cutting back on sugary drinks, may help adolescents feel less anxious.”

The study was based on observational data, which does not prove that drinking sugary beverages directly causes anxiety. There is also not a clear indication of whether sugary drinks cause anxiety or if anxious teens are more inclined to drink them.

ALZHEIMER’S RISK TIED TO HOW THE BODY HANDLES SUGAR AFTER EATING, STUDY FINDS 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 in a press release statement.

Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein noted that while the study can’t prove causation, she “has no doubt” that other research would show similar results. “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,” Muhlstein, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “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.”

The sharper the spike, the deeper the crash. Excessive blood sugar spikes can also affect weight, acne, sleep quality and emotional regulation, she shared, regardless of caffeine levels. "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.