Limit kids' intake of caffeine

A couple weeks ago I was on my soapbox about vending machines in schools. As I said then, I don't think we should get rid of them, we should just load them with a few more nutritional choices. Just recently I received a bulletin on caffeine from the American Institute for Cancer Research that illustrates why caffeinated soft drinks aren't the best choice.

Karen Collins, a dietitian with the AICR, says an occasional caffeinated drink is unlikely to harm a child, but parents should steer their children away from frequent or unlimited use.

"Caffeine is a stimulant," she writes. "At any age, as the amount increases, so does the likelihood of problems such as sleeplessness, irritability and heart palpitations."

The effects depend on your body weight, she says. The same amount of caffeine will affect a 70-pound child twice as much as a 140-pound woman. Each 12-ounce can of most colas contains 35 milligrams to 50 milligrams of caffeine. For most children, that's the equivalent of one to two cups of regular coffee (which has about 100 milligrams to 135 milligrams per cup.)

"Not surprisingly, as soft-drink consumption has increased among kids, so has the frequency of caffeine-induced headaches, difficulty sleeping at night and daytime sleepiness," Collins adds. "Remember, too, that caffeine remains in the system for several hours. To ensure a child's proper rest, a caffeinated soda should be avoided during or after dinner."

I'm wondering what it must be like teaching a group of kids who have all just downed a can or two of Coke or Mountain Dew for lunch. At least you don't have to worry about them falling asleep.

Besides the impact of caffeine, soft drinks don't provide any vitamins or minerals needed for bone development and overall health, as does milk or juice, Collins added.

High amounts of caffeine apparently aren't good for developing babies, either. The April/May 2002 issue of Fit Pregnancy reports on a study that found the risk of miscarriage doubled in women who consumed 1,000 milligrams of caffeine a day, compared with those who consumed very low levels. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women limit consumption to the equivalent of 1 to 2 cups of coffee.