ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE/APP): Some experts believe that drinking
fruit juice may lead to obesity in children, but a new review has
found that juice in moderation does not cause excess weight gain
in children under 18.
Researchers pooled data from eight prospective observational
studies of the association between regular 100 percent fruit juice
consumption and weight gain. The analysis, published in
Pediatrics, includes 34,470 boys and girls under 18.
The studies used something called the B.M.I. z score, which
statistically adjusts body mass index according to age. Changes in
these scores of 0.25 to 0.50 are generally considered to put the
child at risk for obesity, Health news reported.
After controlling for total energy intake, birth weight,
ethnicity and other factors, a 6 to 8-ounce daily serving of 100
percent fruit juice was associated with a 0.087 unit average
increase in B.M.I. z score in children 1 to 6 equivalent to about
0.3 pounds. In those 7 to 18, there was no link at all between
drinking fruit juice and weight gain.
The lead author, Dr. Brandon J. Auerbach, an acting
instructor in medicine at the University of Washington, said that
based on the current evidence, “consuming one daily serving of
fruit juice is not associated with weight gain in children.
So fruit juice in moderation, not more than a serving a
day, is safe.”