Orange Public School volunteer canteen co-ordinator Sarah Jeffery has overseen the canteen's transition to be listed as a healthy canteen and said the energy drinks contain chemicals and preservatives that children's bodies cannot adequately process.

"I think they are too accessible and kids don't understand there's so many chemicals in (these drinks)," Mrs Jeffrey said.

Mrs Jeffery's statement came at the same time as the UK government has announced it will ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks - such as Mother, V, Monster and Red Bull - to children aged under 16.

However, nutritionist Jacki Jasprizza and Colour City Medical Centre dietitian Helen Barnett described a ban as a band-aid solution.

Mrs Jasprizza said more education for parents and teenagers, so they understood why they shouldn't consume the drinks, and bumping up the price so it's "a little bit out of reach" would be better solutions.

Ms Barnett said it would be better to address why teenagers consume the drinks, such as targeted advertising, poor sleep habits, too much late-night technology use, eating disorders, and because their friends do.

She said not all energy drinks were the same but there was potential for health consequences for teenagers, particularly among those with underlying physical and mental health issues and high consumption rates.

Health consequences included disturbed sleep, high blood pressure, hyperactivity, headaches.

Ms Barnett said caffeine also affected calcium absorption and because people don't stop growing until they are about 25 years old there was a risk of osteoporosis later in adulthood.

In addition to high caffeine levels the drinks also contain other vitamins, minerals and additives such as B vitamins and ginseng.

"We're exposing young bodies to substances which they physically cannot process well," Ms Barnett said.