Majority of Research Confirms that 100 Percent Juice Does Not Make Children Overweight

WASHINGTON (November 8, 2006) -- As a result of two new studies published in Pediatrics (one in October and one this month), parents can feel confident about serving their children appropriate amounts of 100 percent fruit juice. The majority of studies evaluating juice consumption by children have shown that there is no connection between children’s weight and consuming reasonable amounts of fruit juice.

The October study of children 2-5 years of age found that children who drink 100 percent fruit juice are not gaining extra weight because of the juice. The study, led by Dr. Theresa Nicklas, a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, evaluated data from a national sample of preschool-age children. The researchers determined that consumption of 100 percent juices is not associated with body mass index (BMI) among these young preschoolers.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/118/4/e1010

“We looked at a broad association between juice intake and children being overweight in a nationally representative sample in the United States and did not find any association between children drinking 100 percent juice and their being overweight,” explains Dr. Nicklas.

When research on juice gets publicized in the popular media, there are three things parents should keep in mind, according to Dr. Nicklas: 1) Appropriate amounts of 100 percent juice are a healthy beverage for children; 2) 100 percent juice, which can count as a fruit serving, should be incorporated into an overall healthy and balanced diet; 3) If your child is overweight, evaluate their overall diet and activity level in consultation with a qualified health professional.

The analysis done by Dr. Nicklas and her colleagues was based on the largest, ongoing government database on food consumption (NHANES - National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey).

The findings of another study by Dr. Myles Faith, subsequently published in the November issue of the same journal, also found there was no connection between juice consumption and excess body weight among normal weight children. The research suggested that juice could be a reason for the weight gained by the heaviest children who drank three to four cups of juice a day. The American Academy of Pediatric guidelines allow for 1/2 cup juice for children 1 to 6 years old and 1-1/2 cups juice for older children.

Many factors, including total calorie intake and physical activity levels were not evaluated in this research, both of which can be critical when addressing weight gain in children or adults.

When it comes to childhood obesity, researchers agree that more studies are needed on many diet and lifestyle factors, not just beverages.

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Note to Editors: Dr. Nicklas is a child nutrition researcher at the USDA Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and served on the 2005 US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Interviews may be arranged by contacting BCM’s Laura Madden-Fuentes at 713-798-6826.

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