Young children with a taste for fruit juice may put on excess weight, but only if they already have a tendency toward being overweight. Some past studies have linked children's intake of sugary fruit juice to excess weight gain, but others have failed to find such a relationship. However, juices typically contain added sugar, and therefore, calories. In addition, basic research shows that the body regulates beverage intake differently than solid food. These studies also indicate that while people may compensate for indulging in too many biscuits/snacks by eating lesser later in the day, the same is not true when we down excess calories in liquid form. Despite the question mark, though, experts still generally recommend limiting children's juice drinking; the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that young children, 1 to 6 years old, drink no more than 4 to 6 ounces of juice per day. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, USA, did a study with 2,800 children aged 1 to 4 years who were receiving food assistance from the US government. They collected information on each child's diet, and then measured their weight and height every 6 months for up to four years. It was found that the higher a child's juice intake, the greater the gain in body fat over time - but only among children who were initially overweight or on the verge of becoming so at the study's outset. In contrast, children who ate more whole fruits tended to put on less body fat. The findings add to evidence that too much fruit juice can contribute to excess weight gain in children but particularly among those who are most at risk of becoming obese adults. The results may surprise some parents who think of fruit juice as a health food of sorts. Many parents equate fruit juice with whole fruits. They conclude that children could drink fruit juice, but the amount should be appropriate.
Pediatrics,
November 2006