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儿童和青少年已经成为能量饮料的重要消费群体。但有报道称,一些学生饮用了咖啡因饮料后会出现心悸、头晕、睡眠障碍和多动症等症状。儿童肥胖也是此类饮料带来的一大问题。开学在即,英国和韩国的儿童们会发现,他们要和能量饮料说再见了。
Many adults rely on the added jolt of caffeine to get them through the day.
But that’s the last thing kids need, according to the governments of England and
South Korea.
很多成年人依赖咖啡因熬过一整天,但英格兰和韩国政府认为,孩子们根本不需要这些。
England woke up to the news that the government is preparing to ban the
sale of energy drinks like Red Bull to children amid growing concerns about the
negative health impacts of the high-caffeine, high-sugar drinks.
8月30日,英格兰政府宣布将禁止向儿童出售红牛等能量饮料。越来越多的人担心高咖啡因和高糖饮料会损害儿童健康。
The proposed ban only applies to England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland can all follow suit if their administrations wish. In March, several
major supermarket chains announced that they would ban the sale of energy drinks
to children under 16.
该禁令仅在英格兰地区适用,苏格兰、威尔士以及北爱尔兰地区的政府如果愿意,也可推行。今年3月,英国几家大型连锁超市宣布禁止旗下超市向16岁以下青少年出售能量饮料。
Meanwhile, South Korea announced plans to ban the sale of coffee in schools
by September 14. Korean authorities justified the ban by citing reports of
children experiencing dizziness, heart palpitations, trouble sleeping, and
nervousness after consuming caffeine.
另外,韩国也已宣布,将于9月14日起禁止在学校销售咖啡。韩国官方还援引报道称,儿童在摄入咖啡因后会出现头晕、心悸、失眠和紧张,以显示这一禁令的正当性。
含糖又含咖啡因,对青少年健康不利
The principal justification for the ban is the high level of caffeine in
the energy drinks, which has been linked to a string of health problems for
children, including head and stomach aches, as well as hyperactivity and sleep
problems.
这一禁令的主要理由是能量饮料中咖啡因含量高,与儿童的一系列健康问题有关,包括头痛和胃痛,以及多动症和睡眠问题。
A 250ml can of Red Bull contains about 80mg of caffeine, roughly the same
as a similarly sized cup of coffee, but three times the level of Coca-Cola.
Monster Energy, which is often sold in larger cans of 500ml, contains 160mg of
caffeine.
一罐250毫升的红牛含有大约80毫克的咖啡因,大约相当于一杯同样大小的咖啡,是可口可乐咖啡因含量的三倍。怪物能量通常以500毫升的大罐出售,含有160毫克的咖啡因。
Energy drinks often also have higher levels of sugar than soft drinks.
According to government figures, sugared energy drinks have 60% more calories
and 65% more sugar than normal soft drinks and sugar is one of the largest
causes of obesity.
能量饮料的含糖量通常也比软饮高。根据英国政府的数据,含糖的能量饮料比普通的软饮料卡路里和糖分含量分别高出60%和65%,而糖是导致肥胖的最主要原因之一。
The teachers’ union NASUWT called last year for the sale of the drinks to
under-16s to be banned by all retailers. Its national official for education,
Darren Northcott, described the beverages as “legal highs” that helped to fuel
bad behavior in schools.
去年,英国教师工会呼吁所有零售商禁止向16岁以下的未成年人出售此类饮料,该机构的教育负责人达伦-诺斯科特称这些饮料是“合法的兴奋剂”,助长了学校的不良行为。
Caffeine is the most commonly used psychoactive substance in the world. It
is classified as a stimulant drug for its ability to arouse the central nervous
system. Research has identified a range of possible health benefits and risks
for adults. But the consumption of caffeine is generally not recommended for
kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics, for example, recommends that children
avoid high-caffeine energy drinks altogether, stating that “caffeine and other
stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of
children and adolescents.”
咖啡因是全球使用最广泛的神经活性物质,由于能够唤醒中枢神经系统,被归类为刺激性药品。研究已经证实了咖啡因对成年人可能存在的多种健康益处和风险,但一般不建议儿童摄入咖啡因。例如,根据美国儿科协会的建议,儿童不应饮用所有的高咖啡因能量饮料,并称“能量饮料中含有咖啡因和其他刺激性物质,儿童和青少年不应该摄入。”
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