No fruit juice before age 1, say pediatricians
The American Academy of Pediatrics, citing obesity and dental health concerns, said children should not drink fruit juices in their first year.
The professional group, in a new recommendation, said the drinks offer "no nutritional benefit" to kids under 1.
"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," said Dr. Melvin B. Heyman, who co-authored the Academy's statement on the issue. "Small amounts in moderation are fine for older kids, but are absolutely unnecessary."
The tweaked recommendations appeared in the June edition of the journal Pediatrics and is the first change to the organization's fruit juice policy since 2001.
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Previously, the Academy advised that parents keep kids off fruit juice for the first six months of their life. Pediatricians used to recommend fruit juices as good sources of Vitamin C and water as kids adapted to solid foods.
The change came about as evidence mounted against juice. The organization said juice drinking has been associated with tooth decay, malnutrition and excessive weight gain in kids.
The new recommendations offered fruit juice guidelines for other age groups:
- Children ages 1 to 3 should be limited to at most 4 ounces a day.
- Kids 4 to 6 years old can have from four to six ounces daily.
- Kids and teens ages 7 to 18 should stop at eight ounces per day.
Other suggestions include:
- Toddlers shouldn't be given juice at bedtime and should not be given juice in sippy cups that allow them to sip at their leisure throughout the day. Constant exposure to the juice causes teeth decay.
- Children should eat whole fruits.
- Unpasteurized juice is not recommended for children of all ages.
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