Fruit Juice and Child Health.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: AAP — : American Academics of Pediatrics DGA — : Dietary Guidelines for Americans WIC — : Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children In recent years, as the prevalence and severity of obesity in childhood and adolescence have increased, the role of individual items in the diet of children, such as 100% fruit juice, has become controversial. Although fruit is an important part of children’s diets, many have come to consider fruit juice in the same category as sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda, and become concerned about the role of the natural sugars in fruit juice in increasing the risk and severity of obesity. This concern has led to discussion as to whether 100% fruit juice should be recommended at all for pediatric consumption or included as part of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) package provided for infants and small children. Furthermore, anecdotally, clinicians have described the experience of parents expressing the belief that they have created a healthier diet for their overweight or obese child by substituting fruit juice for sugar-sweetened sodas. In contrast, there has been substantial concern about whether children and adolescents receive enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. This concern is … Address correspondence to Stephen R. Daniels, MD, PhD, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 13123 East 16th Avenue, B065, Aurora, CO 80045. E-mail: stephen.daniels{at}childrenscolorado.org