Are fresh fruit juices linked to weight gain in children?

Three glasses of fresh fruit juices kept on a table. — X/@freepik

Based on a new review of previous health research, children and adults who drank a glass or more of 100% fruit juice every day were shown to have a minor rise in weight.

“One fundamental problem with juice is quantity; consuming fruit this way makes it so easy to overdose,” said co-author and leading nutrition researcher Dr Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston according to CNN.

“For example, how often do we eat three oranges? Yet, a glass of OJ is about three oranges that can be consumed in a minute or two, and we can go back and have another, and that will add many calories and lead to a spike in blood glucose,” Willett said in an email.

According to specialists, high blood sugar levels over time can cause insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other chronic illnesses.

Despite the fact that the study's conclusions only demonstrated an association rather than a direct cause, pediatric endocrinologist Dr Tamara Hannon, who was not involved in the research, said the results were "quite valid and match what we see clinically."

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents and guardians to limit juice intake to 4 ounces per day for children ages 1 to 3 and only 6 ounces per day for children ages 4 to 6 due to concerns over the rising rate of childhood obesity and dental cavities.