Washington:
Consumption of 100 percent fruit juice during preschool years, can lead to healthier dietary patterns in later childhood without adversely impacting weight gain, a new study suggests. The study from Boston University published online at BMC Nutrition by Lynn L. Moore and colleagues, found that drinking 100 per cent fruit juice was associated with higher intakes of whole fruit and total fruit as well as better diet quality through childhood and into middle adolescence.
“We know that whole fruit intake, as well as diet quality, typically decline from early childhood through adolescence,” said Dr. Moore. “This research provides important information showing that children who consumed about 1.5 cups of 100 per cent fruit juice per day during the preschool years tended to maintain healthier diets into adolescence than children who drank less than 1/2 cup per day during preschool,” Dr. Moore noted.
“In addition, over 10 years of follow-up, juice consumption within the range typically consumed by these children (1-2 cups per day), was not associated with excess weight gain during childhood,” the researcher added. Pre-schoolers who consumed more fruit juice in the early years of childhood in this study also consumed more whole fruit at the same time and continued to consume more whole fruit into adolescence.
The study tracked diet records as well as the height and weight data, from a group of 100 children (age 3-6) enrolled in the Framingham Children’s Study and followed them for a decade. Whole and total fruit consumption were assessed using recommendations from Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) at each age. Among the study’s results were the following:
– Pre-schoolers with higher intakes of 100 per cent fruit juice had significantly higher intakes of whole fruit and total fruit at 14-17 years of age than those children who consumed little juice. – Pre-schoolers who drank more than 100 percent fruit juice were nearly 4 times as likely to meet current Dietary Guidelines recommendations for whole and total fruit intake during adolescence than those pre-schoolers with low intakes.
– Those children with higher fruit juice intakes during preschool years had significantly higher diet quality scores than those children with lower juice intakes at all ages. – Fruit juice consumption was not associated with a change in Body Mass Index (BMI) during childhood and into middle adolescence.
“Fruit consumption, particularly whole fruit consumption, has many health benefits throughout the lifespan. Avoiding juice during these early formative years may have unintended effects on evolving dietary behaviors,” noted the medical expert. “This study confirms findings from several previous studies suggesting juice drinking in young children may promote better diet quality and higher intakes of the whole fruit. These benefits, associated with moderate intakes of 100 percent fruit juice, were not accompanied by any adverse effects on childhood weight,” Dr. Moore added.
