September 7, 2026, 3:14 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, and chronic stress are among the most common health issues worldwide. At the same time, the consumption of nonalcoholic beverages has been increasing for years. This includes coffee, soft drinks, energy drinks, sodas, or bubble tea. A study suggests there seems to be an important connection.
So far, studies on a possible link between beverage consumption and mental health have yielded conflicting results. Additionally, previous reviews mostly focused on individual beverage categories or exclusively on depression. Anxiety disorders and stress have not been studied together until now.
Therefore, the researchers systematically evaluated the available literature. They aimed to determine whether there is a connection between the consumption of nonalcoholic beverages and depression, anxiety disorders, or stress, and whether the results vary by beverage, age, or region. The study, titled “Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption and the Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” was published in 2026 by Yixin Ouyang and colleagues in the journal “Depression and Anxiety.”1
Study Design and Methods
The researchers conducted a systematic review with a meta-analysis. This involves statistically combining the results of several studies to obtain a comprehensive overall picture. For the analysis, the authors searched four scientific databases. After selection, 59 studies with a total of 132 data sets and 2,050,716 participants from 22 countries remained.
Cross-sectional and cohort studies that linked the consumption of nonalcoholic beverages with depression, anxiety disorders, or stress were considered. Individuals with high beverage consumption were compared to those who consumed little or no such beverages.
Connection Between Nonalcoholic Beverages and Depression and Anxiety Disorders
Across all studies, a link was found between higher consumption of nonalcoholic beverages and a more frequent occurrence of depression and anxiety disorders.
The connections were particularly evident with sugary drinks, soft drinks, carbonated beverages, artificially sweetened drinks, energy drinks, and bubble tea. These beverages were more frequently associated with depressive symptoms in the studies evaluated. The authors also found links with anxiety disorders, especially for bubble tea and carbonated drinks.
An exception was coffee. The analysis showed that coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of depression. The result was less clear regarding stress. In the main analysis, no statistically significant connection was found. However, after excluding a single study, a connection became apparent.
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Not All Beverages Show the Same Strong Connection
The analysis suggests that not all nonalcoholic beverages are equally related to mental health. While coffee showed more favorable connections, various sugary or highly processed drinks were more frequently linked to depression and anxiety disorders.
The results were particularly striking among children and adolescents. The connections were also stronger in East Asia and the Pacific region than in other areas. According to the authors, the findings provide important insights for future research and public health strategies. However, specific dietary recommendations cannot yet be derived from them.
Assessment of the Study and Possible Limitations
The strengths of the work include the large number of participants—more than two million people—and the inclusion of studies from numerous countries. This provides a broad overview of existing research.
However, the authors point out several limitations. Most of the included studies were observational. Such studies can show associations but cannot prove cause-and-effect relationships. Further studies need to clarify whether and how individual beverages actually affect mental health. Additionally, other factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, or social circumstances may have influenced the results. Beverage consumption was also mostly based on self-reports from participants.