100% fruit juice and childhood obesity risk
100% fruit juice and childhood obesity risk
2 min read
Since the total sugar content of fruit juice (8-10% by volume) is similar to sugar-sweetened beverages, 100% fruit juice is often wrongly categorised with cordials, nectars and fizzy drinks. This has led to concerns about how fruit juice impacts on body weight gains in children.
However, there’s a wealth of evidence to show that 100% fruit juice – which never contains added sugars – is not in the same category as sugar-sweetened beverages, especially where children's risk of obesity is concerned.
A key example is a recent study which tracked nearly 14,000 British children from birth to their mid-twenties and examined changes in body weight and body mass index. The study found no association between adult obesity risk and drinking fruit juice in childhood. In contrast, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages in childhood led to a higher risk of weight gain and obesity in adulthood [1].
Two prospective studies analysing the diets and body composition data of 9–16-year-old American children have also found that 100% orange juice consumption had favourable effects on height and growth but no association with weight gain and even an inverse relationship with body mass index (weight for height) in girls [2,3].
Supporting these individual studies, a WHO-commissioned systematic review and meta-analysis collated data from 60 studies to examine the effects of certain foods and drinks on risk of overweight and obesity in children [4]. The study found that higher intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages were linked with a greater percentage body fat. However, no such associations were observed between consumption of 100% fruit juice and weight or body composition markers, indicating that fruit juice does not impact on obesity risk in children.
Another study from the US followed up children aged 3-6 years into their teenage years, finding that those who drank 100% fruit juice regularly as children had better diets in terms of fruit and vegetable intake when they were aged 14-17 years [5]. Importantly, this study found no association between fruit juice consumption and weight for height in any of the age groups, again suggesting that drinking fruit juice doesn't increase the chances of obesity.
Even when statistical associations are found, the real-life impact is negligible. A meta-analysis from Canada found that children drinking a 237ml (8 oz) serving of 100% fruit juice per day increased their body mass index by 0.03 in children. However, in an average child 1.3-1.4 metres tall, this equates to a mere 60g weight increase over 4 years (the average study duration) and would not realistically lead to obesity [6].
It’s widely agreed that children should consume more fruit and vegetables, but current evidence shows that many are falling well below the recommended 5 A DAY. As 100% fruit juice delivers the vitamins, minerals and plant bioactive compounds found in whole fruits, it can complement 5 A DAY without having a negative effect on body weight.
References
Benton D et al. (2024) LINK GOES HERE
Sakaki JR et al. (2020) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33023713/
Sakaki JR et al. (2021) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33648027/
Rousham EK et al. (2022) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35362512/
Wan L et al. (2020) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32467768/
Nguyen M et al. (2024) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38227336/