Excessively exhausting life rhythms, little time devoted to sleep and rest, study and work:
these are some of the factors that have led to an increase in caffeine consumption in adolescence, to reach of harmful levels for nearly half of adolescents. The effects of coffee and – consequently – of the caffeine contained in it, are very incisive on our body. This substance, in fact, stimulates cardiac and nerve function, decreases appetite and induces the slimming, increasing the amount of calories burned by the body.
However, caffeine, like many other substances, can also be hazardous to our bodies if taken In large quantities. When it is excessive, in fact, the stimulatory action of the gastric system can cause damage to the digestive system, while the stimulatory action of the cardiac and nervous systems can prove dangerous in individuals suffering from insomnia, hot flashes and hypertension. Therefore, for the preservation of our well-being, it is a good idea not to overindulge in caffeine intake.
The study of adolescents
For the reasons just listed, the
University
of Foggia carried out a study published in the journal scientific Acta Pediatrica, on about 1,200 adolescents to ascertain what their actual coffee consumption is. Students from four schools in the Foggia area were given an anonymous questionnaire, and the results showed that nearly half of the subjects surveyed, ranging from 12 to 19 years of age, make excessive caffeine consumption, often beyond the recommended limits. 76 percent of the boys admitted to
take
caffeine on a daily basis, with coffee predominating, followed by from soft drinks (34.3%) and energy drinks (2.3%).
According to the study, adolescents consume on average an amount of caffeine of 125.2 milligrams, even reaching peaks of 126.3 milligrams in girls. These data show. that 46% of those tested exceeded the caffeine intake recommended by theU.S. Academy of Pediatricians (AAP), identified as 100 milligrams. Among the factors contributing to increased caffeine intake, increased nervousness and agitation typical of adolescence play a crucial role.
Angelo Campanozzi, study coordinator, explains: “These results could be used to set up an awareness campaign directed at reducing its consumption among adolescents. Since it is durrently during childhood and adolescence that eating habits develop, early education on limited coffee consumption is critical to reduce possible misbehavior in adulthood.”
