Sports drinks and energy drinks for children and adolescents: Are they appropriate?
Sports and energy drinks are being marketed to children and adolescents for a wide variety of inappropriate uses. Sports drinks and energy drinks are significantly different products, and the terms should not be used interchangeably. The primary objectives of this clinical report are to define the ingredients of sports and energy drinks, categorize the similarities and differences between the products, and discuss misuses and abuses. Secondary objectives are to encourage screening during annual physical examinations for sports and energy drink use, to understand the reasons why youth consumption is wide spread, and to improve education aimed at decreasing or eliminating the inappropriate use of these beverages by children and adolescents.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/05/25/peds.2011-0965.full.pdf