Swigging 100% Fruit Juice Does Not a Fat Kid Make 6-2-08

HOUSTON, June 2 -- Drinking 100% fruit juice is not associated with an increased risk of a child being overweight, a cross-sectional study showed.

In addition, those who drank unadulterated juice consumed more nutrients and whole fruits, as well as less fat and added sugar, than kids who didn't, Theresa Nicklas, Dr.P.H., of Baylor College of Medicine here, and colleagues reported in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

"The data from the study suggest that 100% juice consumption is a valuable contributor of nutrients in children's diets and that it does not have an adverse effect on weight," Dr. Nicklas said.

"A practical strategy would be to tell parents it's okay to have one serving of 100% fruit juice as a way to meet a serving of the fruit recommendation in kids' diets," she said.

Some studies have found a link between consumption of 100% fruit juice in children and a higher risk of being overweight but they were subject to various limitations, the researchers said.

Surveys of nationally representative populations have failed to find an association, they said.

To explore the possible connection further, Dr. Nicklas and colleagues evaluated data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 through 2002. They included 3,618 ethnically diverse children (51% male) ages two to 11.

On the day of the NHANES survey, 43% of the children had consumed 100% fruit juice, as reported by their caretakers, with the highest rate occurring among those ages two or three (55%).

Overall, the mean amount of juice consumed was 4.1 fluid ounces, which is less than the American Academy of Pediatrics' maximum recommendations of four to six fluid ounces per day for children ages one to six and eight to 12 fluid ounces a day for seven- to 18-year-olds.

Among 100% fruit juice consumers, however, the mean amount drank was 10.6 fluid ounces.

"Excessive intake should be monitored by practitioners," the researchers said.

Compared with non-consumers, children who drank more than six ounces of pure fruit juice had significantly higher intakes of total carbohydrates, vitamins C and B6, potassium, magnesium, iron, and total folate (P<0.001 for all).

They also ingested less total, saturated, and discretionary fat and added sugar (P<0.001 for all).

Those who consumed more than 12 fluid ounces per day ingested significantly more calories (2,138.1 versus 1,827.6, P<0.001), although "it is facile and premature to suggest it is attributed solely to juice," the researchers said.

Children consuming more than six ounces of 100% fruit juice ate significantly more servings of whole fruits (P<0.001).

Drinking 100% fruit juice was not associated with a decrease in the consumption of other foods or with changes in weight or body mass index.

The authors acknowledged some limitations, including the fact that the cross-sectional study design could not determine causality in any of the associations or whether increased juice consumption was associated with weight gain over time.

Also, use of a single dietary recall may have resulted in under- or over-reporting of juice consumption, they said.

Finally, they said, caretakers may not be able to monitor what the children are eating or drinking when they are away from home.

Comment:

Make sure the juice is organic and freshly juiced is so much more healthier!