FROM PEDIATRICS
Fruit juice should not be introduced into the diet of infants prior to 1 year, according to a 2017 policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and the Committee on Nutrition.
In addition, no more than 4 ounces of fruit juice per day should be given to toddlers aged 1-3 years, and no more than 4-6 ounces to children aged 4-6 years. For children aged 7-18 years, fruit juice intake should be limited to 8 ounces ( Pediatrics. 2017 Jun;139[6]:e20170967 ).
“Parents may perceive fruit juice as healthy, but it is not a good substitute for fresh fruit and just packs in more sugar and calories,” Melvin B. Heyman, MD, of the University of California, San Francisco, and coauthor of the policy statement, said in a press release. “Small amounts in moderation are fine for older kids, but are absolutely unnecessary for children under 1.”
In fact, the AAP recommends that human milk be the only nutrient for infants up to 6 months of age, or a prepared infant formula for mothers who cannot breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed their infants. In a study of 168 children aged either 2 years or 5 years, consumption of 12 fluid ounces or more per day of fruit juice was associated with short stature and with obesity ( Pediatrics. 1997 Jan;99[1]:15-22 ).
If toddlers are given fruit juice, it should be in a cup rather that a bottle, sippy cup, or box of juice that they can carry around for long periods. Also, infants and toddlers should not be put to bed with a bottle of fruit juice, according to the statement. Prolonged exposure of the teeth to the sugars in juice can result in dental caries.
Fruit juice is sometime erroneously used instead of oral electrolyte solutions to rehydrate infants and young children with gastroenteritis or diarrhea, but the high carbohydrate content of fruit juice “may exceed the intestine’s ability to absorb carbohydrate, resulting in carbohydrate malabsorption. Carbohydrate malabsorption causes osmotic diarrhea, increasing the severity of the diarrhea already present,” according to the statement. Also, if fruit juice is used to replace fluid losses in infants, it may cause hyponatremia.
There are several medical conditions in which it is prudent to determine how much fruit juice is being consumed:
Fruit juice is viewed by parents as nutritious, but toddlers and young children should be encouraged to eat whole fruit instead.
“We know that excessive fruit juice can lead to excessive weight gain and tooth decay,” coauthor Steven A. Abrams, MD, of the University of Texas, Austin, said in a press release. “Pediatricians have a lot of information to share with families on how to provide the proper balance of fresh fruit within their child’s diet.”
The authors said they had no relevant financial conflicts.
