Teens who reach for soda and other sugary drinks may also be signing up for a higher risk of anxiety, according to a new analysis of existing research. A review published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that adolescents who regularly consume sugar-sweetened beverages had roughly one-third higher odds of anxiety disorders than peers who drink them less often, per Food & Wine. Researchers from Bournemouth University combed through six major scientific databases for studies published between 2000 and 2025 that looked at sugary drink intake and anxiety in 10- to 19-year-olds. Out of more than 120,000 results, they identified nine relevant studies, including two that followed teens for about a year.
Across these studies, higher consumption of beverages like soda, energy drinks, and sweetened juices was consistently linked with higher reports of anxiety symptoms. The heightened risk came out to a 34% increase in the odds of anxiety disorders among regular sugary-drink consumers, the authors said. They stressed, however, that the evidence shows an association, not proof that these beverages directly cause anxiety. Controlled human trials would be needed to establish cause and effect.
Still, co-author Chloe Casey noted that while public health campaigns have largely focused on sugar's role in physical conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, its potential impact on mental health has drawn less attention. With anxiety disorders now among the most common mental health problems in young people—affecting about one in seven adolescents worldwide, per the World Health Organization—researchers say identifying modifiable habits, including what teens drink, could be one piece of addressing the trend. As an outside expert tells Fox News, sugary drinks cause "insulin spikes" and "blood sugar crashes," leaving the drinker "in a dopamine deficit state that looks and feels just like anxiety."
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