Drinking 100% Juice Does Not Make Children Overweight

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Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 02 Jun 2008 - 13:00 PDT

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In children who drink 100% fruit juice regularly there is no increased risk of being overweight in comparison to their peers who do not, according to a report released on June 2, 2008 in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The obesity levels in the United States, not just in adults but also in children, have reached record highs, and this phenomenon is often referred to as an "obesity epidemic." The negative effects of obesity on health are clearly documented, and as a result, investigation into the causes of this trend are important to reverse it. Patterns of food consumption are likely to play a role weight gain in children, and drinking juice has been associated with being overweight and obese in some studies but not in others.

In an effort to determine whether this association between juice drinking and being overweight or obese is genuine, Theresa A. Nicklas, Dr.P.H., of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, and colleagues performed a study based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2002. The 3,618 children ranged in age from 2 to 11 years. In the survey, in-home interviews were performed in which the children were weighed and measured, and either they or their parents indicated the types of foods and drinks they regularly consumed.

The average amount of juice consumed by these children each day was 4.1 fluid ounces -- this contributed an average 58 Calories (58 kcal) to their diet daily. There was no association found between drinking this juice and being overweight. Children who drank fruit juice had significantly higher intakes of calories, carbohydrates, vitamins C and B6, potassium, riboflavin, magnesium, iron and folate. Additionally, they had lower intake levels of total fat, saturated fat, discretionary fat and added sugar.

Children who drank juice also tended to eat more whole fruit than those who did not. The authors note that the causes of this are not necessarily obvious: "It is not clear why some children drink more fruit juice and what the association is with increased intake of fruit in these individuals," they say. They also indicate some potential sources of this association: "Taste and availability are two generally recognized factors in increased intake of fruit and vegetables; usual food intake, subjective norms, parenting style and visual benefits of eating fruit and vegetables are others.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends certain maximum levels of juice consumption in children: 4 to 6 ounces for children 1 to 6 years old and 8 to 12 ounces for children and teens 7 to 18 years old. Generally, the children drank less than these daily maximum amounts, with children between 2 and 4 years old drinking the most at 6 ounces per day.

Overall, the consumption of juice was not found to be detrimental for children in terms of nutrient intake or overweight status, the authors conclude. "One-hundred percent juice consumption was associated with better nutrient intake than in the non-consumption group and was not associated with weight status or the likelihood of being overweight in children 2 to 11 years of age."

Association Between 100% Juice Consumption and Nutrient Intake and Weight of Children Aged 2 to 11 Years
Theresa A. Nicklas; Carol E. O'Neil; Ronald Kleinman
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(6):557-565.
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Written by Anna Sophia McKenney
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