A new review of 42 prior studies found that drinking one glass or more of 100% fruit juice every day is linked to weight gain in both adults and children.
The study, which was published on Tuesday in JAMA Pediatrics, discovered a favorable correlation between children’s BMIs (a measurement that accounts for height and weight) and 100% fruit juice consumption. Additionally, it discovered a link between adult weight increase and daily consumption of 100% fruit juice.
Fruit liquids that have no added sugar were referred to as 100% fruit juice.
The gains varied by age, with younger children showing larger increases in BMI. For instance, among youngsters, each additional serving per day was linked to a 0.03 higher BMI.
The study said that “our analyses suggested that younger children,” or those under the age of 11, “showed a greater BMI gain per every 8-oz additional serving per day of 100% fruit juice than the older children.”
Does this imply that you should completely avoid juice? Not always, although the study did advise paying closer attention to how much you eat.
“Our findings are in support of public health guidance to limit consumption of 100% fruit juice to prevent overweight and obesity,” according to the authors.
It also begs the question, “Why can 100% fruit juice cause weight gain if fruit is healthy and recommended as part of a diet?” The authors suggest “liquid calories” as a potential contributing element.
“A potential mechanism linking 100% fruit juice to weight gain is the consumption of liquid calories, which has been shown to result in greater weight gain compared with the ingestion of solid calories,” they write.
authors also point out that their results are consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation that kids under the age of six should drink “less than a glass of fruit juice per day,” with an 8-ounce portion being the standard amount.
Juice should be completely avoided by children under the age of one, according to the AAP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The following are the AAP’s recommendations for other ages:
Juice intake for children ages 1 to 3 should be limited to 4 ounces per day.Children aged 4 to 6: no more than 6 ounces every day.Children aged 7 to 18: no more than 8 ounces per day.
The CDC suggests a “refreshing, low-calorie drink” beverage that tastes like fruit when you add a splash of 100% juice to plain or sparkling water.
