Caffeine and kids

This is old news recently found. An article in the US News Health section back in 2010 referred to a study that tried to relate caffeine to sleeplessness in kids. http://tinyurl.com/3avb24l

The study says that children under 12 are ingesting caffeine in their soft drinks and energy drinks and it points to caffeine as the main culprit in this situation.

Of course, the study was conducted by doctors and one would assume that they performed careful analyses, used correct parameters and considered all variables.

The point is that the conclusions of the study indicate that sodas and energy drinks should be kept to a minimum because they contain caffeine AND sugar, though it fails to mention HFCS.

Sugars need to be metabolized in a process that generates lots of energy in the body.

Could it be that there is a relation between this and sleeplessness?

Then, why blame caffeine when sugar and HFCS can cause more damage to anyone?

What is it with some doctors and their biased view of caffeine?

Why not search for other chemicals in the sodas and energy drinks that might cause ill effects?

Yes, some people feel the effects of caffeine more than other.

Yes, some people can eat a lot and not gain weight.

Yes, organisms differ in how they metabolize foods, but I don’t see a reason to simply advice people to get away from caffeine.

In my family –as in 99% of families with Mediterranean origins- babies go from the bottle directly to coffee with milk, and possibly not even 5% suffer from any of the ill outcomes that doctors want to pin on caffeine. (Warning, I just made these figures from gut-feeling)

The point is that the food industry has been filling processed foods with tons of chemicals, while coffee remains one of the very few agricultural products that reach the consumer in a pure state.

The drinks industry is using artificial caffeine made in China because it is a lot cheaper than natural caffeine (Sound familiar, eh? Artificial is cheaper than natural). Has any scientist dedicated time to investigate the effects of artificial caffeine on health? I mean, really investigate.

Meanwhile, coffee lovers, pay no attention to these omens and help spread the truth: coffee is healthy.