Should parents let their kids drink soda?

Some parents may limit their kids' beverage choices to water and milk. For others, however, there are no qualms about letting their little ones enjoy the occasional soft drink during a trip to the movies or alongside a Happy Meal. But is that a good idea? And what happens when kids are drinking soda — including caffeinated options — daily?

Research has recently linked soda drinking to obesity in children. Now, a new study finds that kids who drink who drink caffeinated soda daily are more likely to try alcohol within a year. Here's what parents need to know.

What the study says

Published in the peer-reviewed journal Substance Use & Misuse and conducted by researchers at Seoul National University in Korea, the November 2023 study analyzed data from more than 2,000 U.S. children aged 9 and 10. Researchers found that children who reported drinking a caffeinated soda each day were twice as likely to report sipping alcohol a year later.

What are the key findings?

The study indicates that drinking soda on a regular basis could put children at a higher risk of alcohol consumption. Researchers also concluded that those who drink caffeinated soda daily were more impulsive and had worse memories. The study also noted that caffeinated beverage consumption — including energy drinks among teens — has been previously linked to future substance use in adults and adolescence.

“Our findings suggest that daily consumption of caffeinated soda in children is predictive of substance use in the near future," lead author Mina Kwon of Seoul National University said in the report "One possible explanation is that the substances contained in caffeinated soda (caffeine and sugar) could induce a toxicological effect on the brain, making the individual more sensitive to the reinforcing effects of harder drugs like alcohol.”

Researcher Woo-Young Ahn, also of Seoul National University, added that it is "vital" to "develop evidence-based recommendations for caffeinated soda consumption in minors. There is no consensus on a safe dose of caffeine in children, and some children might be more vulnerable to adverse effects associated with frequent caffeine consumption than others.” The team also indicated a need for future research.

This is the latest study to link soda drinking to poor health outcomes. Here's what a large study published in the journal Pediatrics in July found about the risk of obesity in kids who regularly drink soda.

Soda and obesity

Research has linked a soda habit with a higher risk of obesity in adults. Now, a study has found that kids who drink soda regularly are more likely to have obesity.

Researchers analyzed data from 405,528 teens around the age of 14 in 107 different countries and regions. While rates of obesity varied by country (from 3.3% in Cambodia to 64% in the Polynesia island of Niue), there was a strong link between having at least one soda a day and having overweight or obesity. Specifically, kids who had a daily soda habit were 1.14 times more likely to have overweight or obesity than those who didn't have soda on a daily basis.

"Our results, in conjunction with other evidence, suggest that reducing soft drink consumption should be a priority in combating adolescent overweight and obesity," the researchers concluded.

What do experts think?

Experts aren't surprised by the findings linking soda to obesity. "This is not shocking at all — we've seen this with adults," Dr. Danelle Fisher, a pediatrician and chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. "Soda has such a huge amount of calories and, while it's not meant to be consumed as a regular drink, some people —including teenagers and kids — drink it like water."

Worth noting: A 12-ounce can of regular Coca-Cola has 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar (or 78% of the recommended dietary guidelines for adults); a 12-ounce can of Pepsi has 150 calories and 41 grams of sugar.

"Soda has empty calories, so it doesn't give any nutritional support, but it's tasty so you can consume a lot of calories," Dr. Tracy Zaslow, a pediatrician and pediatric sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, tells Yahoo Life. "Water is the best beverage kids and adults can have."

But the potential impact of soda goes beyond just taking in extra calories. "The calories are really all coming from fructose. So not only is it a large number of calories in a small volume, but fructose, along with other simple sugars have a direct impact on hormone signaling like insulin, as well as fat regulation," says Dr. Hanna Jaworski, division chief of pediatrics at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, which is part of Corewell Health.

Soda has been linked with insulin resistance, which is when cells in the muscles, fat and liver don't respond well to insulin (a hormone that helps glucose enter cells, where it's used for energy) and can't easily take in glucose from the blood. Insulin resistance is linked to type 2 diabetes, a condition that is also associated with obesity.

Having sugar often leads to more cravings for sweet things — and that can also contribute to the risk of developing obesity, registered dietitian Jessica Cording, author of The Little Book of Game-Changers, tells Yahoo Life. "I see this quite a bit: The more sugar someone has, the more someone wants," she says. "When you condition children from a young age to like sugar and they're consuming a lot of added sugar, the brain starts to want more. Sugar is very habit-forming."

Soda also isn't associated with a healthy lifestyle, Jaworski points out. "Soda intake is likely also related to other health habits," she says. "Someone who is taking intentional steps to be healthy — eating more fruits and vegetables, engaging in regular physical activity — is less likely to drink soda regularly."

What are the short-term effects of having a soda?

Soda can have a big impact on kids in the short-term. "You get a sugar rush — there's an increase in blood sugar and possibly the effect of caffeine," Zaslow says. "When that sugar high wears off, a child can have mental fogginess and mood changes. They may be really grumpy or irritable."

If a child drinks soda during their school day, that sugar crash can impact their academic performance, Cording says.

What about long-term effects?

Zaslow says the "No.1 concern" is obesity. "But additionally, soda can lead to poor blood sugar control that can lead to diabetes," she says.

Soda can also impact tooth health, Jaworski says. "Soda is very acidic and corrosive to the teeth," she points out. "Depending on the frequency of use and underlying dental health, there may be enamel breakdown or even cavities."

There is also an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, general bodily inflammation, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, Jaworski says. "Colas specifically are also connected to the formation of kidney stones," she adds.

Should parents cut out soda altogether?

Experts say that parents don't need to entirely ban their kids from having soda. "Once in a while is probably fine," Zaslow says. "You almost treat it like a dessert. It's just when it becomes multiple cans or cups a few times a week or on a daily basis that it's concerning." Cording agrees. "You don't want to treat it as a forbidden item. Then, 99% of the time, kids are going to want it more and it will be harder for them to moderate with soda when they're exposed to it," she says. "Just treat it like a special occasion thing."