Does Coffee Stunt your Growth?

[Bisquit812]

Im in 4th grade and I had Coffee one morning and I only took the tiniest sips, because I was to afraid of having my growth hetting stunted. So I dont know what to believe and a lot of people have been saying yes and or no and my brother is trying to make me scared by teasing me and saying it will stunt my growth!

Im pretty SMALL for my age and I do not want to stay this small for my whole life, well atleast until im old (because old people are pretty small.) Im so scared! Please someone respond to me!!!! :!: :roll: :-D

 

[caffe biscotto]

Hi Bisquit812,

Don't be scared. It's nice to that see you're concerned about the
effects that coffee might have on your body.

But, have you asked your parents what they think about coffee?

Ask them first and then come back and teach us what you learned, okay?

:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[Alun_evans]

I remember when I was a kid my parents used to say that eating/drinking certain foods and beverages would stunt my growth. From memory it was all the things I liked to eat and drink...coffee, tea, Figs, licorice...Jelly Cristals, and I reckon it was an effort to protect their stash of favourite foods from a growing kid. Anyway, I took no notice and ended up being 183cm tall. I think genetics probably at the end of the day play more of a part in what heightyou will ultimatley end up being. Excessive consumption of caffeine or green tea may mean you burn a lot more energy- but that would more likely keep you from putting weight, not height on.

 

[Alun_evans]

Consumption trends – Coffee drinking rises among American teenagers, experts say



Milan - Though coffee consumption by teens isn't well tracked in the US, Dan Raiten, a nutrition researcher at the National Institutes of Health, says more children seem to be drinking more coffee, and starting at younger ages.

In 2001, 10 per cent of visits to gourmet coffee and tea shops were by consumers under the age of 18, according to market research firm NPD Group. Last year it was 13 per cent.

From there, the numbers go up. The National Coffee Association says young people are the fastest growing coffee-drinking niche. In 2002, about 24 per cent of 18-to 24-year-olds drank coffee. Last year, it was 37 per cent.

But are coffee drinks good for kids?

A 16-ounce Starbucks coffee has about 320 milligrams of caffeine. It would take more than nine 12-ounce Cokes to get that much caffeine from soda.

A 2007 report by the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools advised against selling caffeinated products to children because of possible negative effects of dependency and withdrawal, including difficulty concentrating.

But sweet coffee drinks are making caffeine more accessible to children. The main concern is of kids becoming dependent on it and they need it to get going, specialists say.

From commercials and the media the idea is that you need an extra jolt in life. And now that jolt tastes good to a 12-year-old. "It's a symbol of grown-up sophistication," said in an analysis Temple University professor Bryant Simon. "Caffeine isn't great for you, but it can't really kill you, so this is a safe place for expressing adolescent angst and desires for independence."

Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics' nutrition committee, worry as they see girls skipping meals and using coffee to lose weight, sometimes fuelled by a glorification of coffee by young celebrities.

Roland Griffiths, a caffeine expert and professor of psychology and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University says parents should exercise more oversight when it comes to coffee consumption.

Among the side effects, caffeine withdrawal can trigger headaches, lethargy, inability to concentrate, irritability, depression, mood changes and in some cases nausea, vomiting or achy flu-like symptoms

 

[Davec]

Am I right in thinking that 4th grade means this kid is 9-10 years old :-D

 

[davidsbiscotti]

Excellent in-depth info and statistics Alun. Nine Cokes = one 16oz coffee? That surprised me the most.

Alun, when you wrote "Roland Griffiths, a caffeine expert and professor of psychology and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University says parents should exercise more oversight when it comes to coffee consumption." I think that expressed my (caffe biscotto's) point, to encourage a 4th grader to ask his parents what they thought first. Bisquit812 should know it's okay to be open with his/her parents and not have to rely on strangers' opinions. Next thing you know, they're on a ridiculous porn forum (not that there are any, I wouldn't know), asking if it's okay to do other things a ten year old shouldn't be doing.

Information on the internet is boundless. Luckily a good guy like Alun replied though.

Again, Bisquit812, your parents are wise and have lots of experience. They know what's best for you and your health right now. Ask them and let us know what you learned.

(Another funny thing I noticed........ maybe paranoia, but this could actually be not a 10 year old, but someone looking for negative info on coffee for their report. Read back their post with this in mind.)

 

[Davec]

I think as we say in the UK...it's someone who is "pulling your plonker" or "having a laugh"

 

[Alun_evans]

That, DaveC, sounds like it could be extremely painful. :grin:

 

[caffe biscotto]

Alun, at 183cm (6'0), you're my height and I've been drinking coffee since mid-teens. Never decaf, blech!

This doesn't exactly answer the stunted growth question though. Who knows, I could have been 6'6 if I never drank coffee.

As a kid, my parents would tell me, "Eat them black eyed peas boy, it'll put hair on your chest!" The funny things our parents tell us......

Yep. The more I think about it, the more evident it becomes, that in fact, someone, somewhere, just got their plonker pulled on this one. Let's see if little Bisquit812 comes back with more questions. I can't wait to see where this one goes. Let's keep it clean though, it really could be a child. Ha ha ha.

 

[caffe biscotto]

Among the side effects, caffeine withdrawal can trigger headaches, lethargy, inability to concentrate, irritability, depression, mood changes and in some cases nausea, vomiting or achy flu-like symptoms

My ex-wife had these same symptoms.
She said she was sick of me. But I knew it was the coffee.....

 

[Alun_evans]

In the modern world of the metro-sexual male, Blackeyed Pea farmers might have to look at another marketing angle for their babies. Maybe Sasha Baron-Cohen of Borat fame could be their spokesman? :grin:

 

[caffe biscotto]

Blackeyed peas put hair on your chest!
.....and you know the women gonna love it baby!

 

[Alun_evans]

And....to answer the stunted growth question, just look how much taller Borat is from the 6" Swedih models he is posing with. He plenty of Kazahstani coffee, albeit blended with Turnips from the glorous republic of Georgia

 

[caffe biscotto]

Hey Alun, back to the coffee vs. cokes using the caffeine stats you provided earlier........

Big Alun Wrote:
"A 16-ounce Starbucks coffee has about 320 milligrams of caffeine. It would take more than nine 12-ounce Cokes to get that much caffeine from soda."

Well, I've had a pot of coffee so far today and it's only 2 p.m. and maybe I'm not thinking clearly here, but.......

How many cokes would = one pot of coffee?
Have I taken in 36 cokes worth of caffeine in my 64oz pot of coffee today? It's hard to believe. I couldn't imagine the state of mind I would be in right now, had I drank 36 (12oz) cokes today.