Public Concern about the Sale of High-Caffeine Drinks to Children 12 Years or Younger: An Australian Regulatory Perspective.
BACKGROUND
Dietary exposure to high caffeine is a health risk for children. Governments are considering measures to restrict the sale of formulated caffeinated beverages (FCB) to children. Objectives. To investigate community concern about sales of high-caffeine drinks to children among Western Australian adults and describe Australian and New Zealand regulatory processes regarding FCB.


METHODS
Data from the 2009 and 2012 Department of Health's Nutrition Monitoring Survey Series of 2,832 Western Australians aged 18-64 years was pooled with descriptive and ordinal logistic regression analysis performed. Current regulatory processes for FCB are reported.


RESULTS
Most (85%) participants were concerned about the sale of high-caffeine drinks to children; 77.4% were very concerned in 2012 compared to 66.5% in 2009, p < .008. Females and those living with children had higher concern (odds ratio (OR) 2.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44-3.10; OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.51-3.09, resp., p < .001). Concern increased with each year of age (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02, 1.05, p < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Community concern regarding sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children is high and increasing. Being female and living with children were associated with greater concern. These findings support the Australian and New Zealand regulatory controls of FCB, including labelling, promotion, and advertising to children.
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia ; Department of Health in Western Australia, 189 Royal Street, East Perth, WA 6004, Western Australia, Australia.
Christina Mary
CM
Pollard
School of Public Health, Curtin University, Kent Street, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia ; Department of Health in Western Australia, 189 Royal Street, East Perth, WA 6004, Western Australia, Australia.
Catrina Lisa
CL
McStay
Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Xingqiong
X
Meng
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002110:Caffeine; D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D003132:Commerce / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D061215:Energy Drinks; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D002110:Caffeine