Energy drinks are a daily habit for more than one in five young people across the Nordic countries, with a much larger share consuming them at least once a week, according to a new study examining drinking habits among youth in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland.
The study, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, found that 22 percent of young people surveyed consume energy drinks every day, while around three in five have them at least once a week. Nearly half of respondents also said they could not always get through the day without an energy drink, raising concerns about how closely consumption has become tied to everyday routines.
Sweden recorded the highest level of consumption among the five countries. About 75 percent of young people there said they drink energy drinks at least weekly, while 28 percent reported consuming them every day.
Finland presents a different concern. Young people there tend to start drinking energy drinks at a younger age than their Nordic counterparts. One in four Finnish respondents said they had begun consuming the drinks before reaching the age of 12.
The Finnish results also point to a broader pattern of caffeine consumption. Young people in Finland were more likely than those in the other Nordic countries surveyed to drink coffee and iced coffee, adding to the amount of caffeine consumed through different beverages.
Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, described the findings as a warning sign, particularly because some young people appear to rely on energy drinks as part of their daily routine.
“The study sends a strong warning signal that far too many young people are dependent on energy drinks to get through day-to-day life,” Ellemann said in a press release. She warned that the pattern could have consequences for young people’s mental health and education and called for greater cooperation between the Nordic countries.
The research was based on responses from 4,916 young people across Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland. It also found a gender difference in consumption, with boys reporting more frequent energy drink use than girls.
The figures do not establish that energy drinks directly cause mental health or educational problems, but they do show how widespread regular consumption has become among Nordic youth. The frequency of use, particularly among those who say they depend on the drinks to get through the day, has put the issue on the regional health agenda.
For Finland, the age at which consumption begins is particularly significant. Starting before the age of 12 means that energy drinks can become part of a young person’s routine during the early school years, while caffeine consumption may also continue through later adolescence alongside coffee and other caffeinated products.
The study therefore places the Nordic countries in a shared conversation about how young people consume caffeine and why energy drinks have become such a regular part of daily life. While consumption levels vary between countries, the findings suggest that the issue extends beyond individual drinking habits and into questions about youth health, school life and the routines that young people develop at an early age.
