Study: Latina Moms 15 Times More Likely to Give Their Toddlers Coffee

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Latina moms are 15 times more likely to give their toddlers coffee, according to a new study, VoxxiNews reports.

The study found that 2% of infants were drinking coffee and 15% of 2-year-olds drink as much as four ounces of coffee a day, and that Latina moms were more likely to report giving their babies coffee, CBS Boston reports.

Also, 2-year-olds who drank coffee or tea had triple the risk of being obese in kindergarten.

“Our results show that many infants and toddlers in Boston – and perhaps in the U.S. – are being given coffee and that this could be associated with cultural practices,” said study leader Dr. Anne Merewood of the Boston University School of Medicine.

VoxxiNews noted the cultural aspects of coffee among Latinos:

“In some cultures, however, children are often given coffee to drink with parents as a form of family quality time and cultural norm. Such is the case with many Hispanics; the National Coffee Association states Hispanics have the highest coffee consumption levels of any ethnicity in the United States.”

The report also mentioned an expert’s take on why coffee, which can be sugary and heavily caffeinated, isn’t a good idea for kids:

“Caffeine affects the central nervous system as a stimulant,” Dr. Nicole Caldwell, assistant professor of pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, told Live Science. “The brains of a child tend to be a little bit more sensitive to caffeine’s effects than the brains of adults. Caffeine can cause them to be hyperactive, which is obvious. But it also can make them nervous, anxious, worsen stomach problems and create sleep problems. Also if they have an undiagnosed arrhythmia, an irregular or abnormal heartbeat, caffeine increases excitability within the heart, which can exacerbate the arrhythmia.”