Study finds 100% fruit juice may be tied to weight gain in children, adults
Study finds fruit juice linked to weight gain
A new study says you may want to rethink what's in your child's glass. The FOX Medical Team's Beth Galvin explains a new study that linked fruit juice to weight gain in children and adults.
ATLANTA - For a lot of kids and many adults, fruit juice is a staple.
But a recent study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that 100% fruit juice may be tied to weight gain in children and adults.
Researchers looked at data from 42 research studies and found drinking one or more glasses of 100% fruit juice each day was linked to a small increase in weight in children and adults.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates one in five U.S. children are overweight or obese.
Katherine Shary, a registered and licensed dietitian with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Strong4Life program, says cutting back on 100% fruit juice, which has no added sugar, can help lower a child's risk of weight-related health problems, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
"So if we know that juice contributes to weight gain in overweight and obesity, we want to make sure that we are not drinking too much each day," Shary says.
Children under 1 year old should not drink fruit juice, and older children and adults should consume no more than 8 ounces of 100% fruit juice a day, according to national nutritional guidelines, Shary says.
One serving of fruit juice is typically 4 ounces.
"So the maximum we would hope that nobody would be drinking more than 8 ounces of juice per day or less," Shary says.
Instead of 100% juice, Shary says, choose whole fruit, which offers more fiber and is less likely than juice to trigger a surge in blood sugar.
"When you eat the whole fruit, it's going to be more satisfying," she says. "You're going to be more full feeling because you have more of that fiber."
If your family tends to drink a lot of juice, she says, taper down gradually.
"Let's go ahead and cut that back into half juice, half water," Shary suggests.
For kids who like the flavor of juice, switching to plain water may be a stretch, but there are some ways to make it more palatable for them.
"We can put fresh fruit in it," Shary says. "We can put frozen fruit in it. Mash up some fruit and make fruit ice cubes, and, as they start to melt, it flavors the water."
And, Shary says, get your kids in the kitchen and teach them how to flavor their water.
"(Have them) Mash up the fruit to make those fruit ice cubes with you," she says. "Get a child-safe knife and let them cut some cucumbers. Make them a part of it. Because if kids are excited and they're a part of it, it's going to make them more willing to try it."