Did this headline get your attention? Although energy drinks are probably not too good for young people we haven’t chosen to highlight this article because of the health message.

It is worth reading because it is a good lesson in how misleading and sensational headlines can be derived from well-meaning research.

The headline suggests that it is the consumption of energy drinks that increase the risk of AOD and mental health related problems. In other words the headline suggests a causal relationship. In the body of the article there is actually no suggestion of this and instead it clearly says that the traits of young people attracted to consuming energy drinks are probably the same traits that contribute to a young person using high levels of drugs. In other words there may be a correlation rather than a cause. You can look at the full article here.

Debunking hype and offering an evidence based and compassionate alternate point of view is a challenge all youth AOD workers face. Got a comment? Email us.