Energy drinks popular with teenagers could contain up to 20 teaspoons of sugar, warn health campaigners
They have called for a ban on the sale of the products to under-16s.
The drinks, which also have high levels of caffeine, have become part of the daily diet of many teenagers, particularly boys.
But they are being blamed for feeding a crisis of obesity and bad behaviour in schools.
Campaigners Action on Sugar warned the drinks – such as Rockstar, Monster and Red Devil – are fuelling a taste for sugar that feeds through into the wider diet.
A survey of 197 such drinks found more than three quarters would receive a ‘red’ label for high sugar using Food Standards Agency guidelines.
Concerns about sugar consumption, which has been condemned as the ‘new tobacco’, are reaching many older consumers who are trying to change their eating habits. Despite this, sales of energy drinks are booming among youngsters and supermarkets are trying to cash in on the trend by creating cheap own label versions.
Youngsters believe the drinks might give them an edge on the sports field or even boost their performance in the classroom.