Pediatricians warn toddlers should not consume fruit juices

Fruit juice consumption in small children leads to tooth decay and obesity
Many small children like to drink sweet drinks, such as lemonade or fruit juice. Researchers now found that children under the age of one should generally avoid consuming fruit juice. Drinking fruit juices under the age of one year leads to tooth decay and obesity.

The scientists of the American Academy of Pediatrics found in their study that the consumption of fruit juices in small children leads to increased rates of obesity and tooth decay. The experts published new guidelines on the consumption of fruit juices in the medical journal "Pediatrics".

Fruits taste good and are healthy. Researchers have now announced that young children should eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice. Children under one year should therefore not take any fruit juice at all. Thus, tooth decay and obesity can be prevented. (Image: photocrew / fotolia.com)

Children should at best eat whole fruits
Children under the age of one should generally avoid consuming fruit juice. But older children should only consume small amounts of fruit juice, say the experts. Instead of drinking fruit juice, children should rather eat whole fruits instead, explain the researchers of the American Academy of Pediatrics on.

100% fruit juice can be consumed in moderation
Prior to the new guidelines, parents of pediatricians were advised that these fruit juice should not be administered to children under six months. For older children with a healthy body weight, the consumption of 100 percent fruit juice in moderation is quite healthy, but should not account for more than half of the recommended fruit portions per day, say the scientists.

Fruit juice should only make up a limited part of children's nutrition
Recent findings reinforce evidence that fruit juice should only make up a limited part of children's nutrition, says author Professor Steven Abrams. Consuming whole fruits is a much better way to get all the vitamins and nutrients from fruits.

Benefits of whole fruits
Whole fruits contain fibers that slow down the absorption of sugar by the body. These also cause the consumption of whole fruits leads to a greater feeling of fullness, compared with fruit juice, explain the experts. So overeating can be prevented.

Many children do not eat enough fruit during the day
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between the year 2003 and 2010, US children consumed an increasing amount of whole fruits. They also drank less juice during this period. But about 60 percent of children still do not consume their daily recommended portions of fruit. This amount varies according to age, gender and level of physical activity, the experts add.

How much fruit juice should children eat at most a day??
There is still a widespread notion among parents that juice is a reasonable substitute for fruit, scientists say. The guidelines state that toddlers should consume no more than four ounces of fruit juice per day. Children aged four to six should not consume more than six ounces, and children between the ages of seven and eighteen should drink a maximum of eight ounces of fruit juice. The best way to cover the need for a child's fluid is to use water and low-fat milk, say the doctors.

Frequent juice consumption at the age of two can lead to overweight at age four
Children should limit their fruit consumption to whole fruits, especially if those affected are already overweight. Current research indicates that there is an association between consistent consumption of juice at the age of two and an increased risk of overweight at the age of four, explain the physicians. Although it is unlikely that childhood obesity will be caused or prevented by a single factor.

Sweetened drinks lead to negative health effects
However, the new guidelines do not apply to fruit drinks that contain sweetener and have less than 100 percent juice. These drinks fall into the category of sweetened drinks. These include, for example, lemonade, sports drinks and energy drinks, say the experts. A frequent consumption of these drinks is associated with negative health outcomes. The only exception is so-called sports drinks for children or adolescents, if they are really hard to train, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in a clinical report in 2011.

100% orange juice is healthy for adults
There is some evidence that 100 percent orange juice is associated with positive health effects in adults. So far, however, it is not yet known whether there is a comparable benefit for children and adolescents, the researchers say. And what about children who eat no fruits at all? There are actually not many children who do not like fruits at all and most children like to eat fruits because they taste very sweet, the scientists explain. (As)