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Proper hydration is crucial for active children as the hot days of summer approach.
But moderation is the key when it comes to a favorite staple of thirsty kids.
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University of Florida obesity experts say fruit juices, although packed with vitamins and fiber, contain loads of sugar. Because even one-hundred-percent fruit juices naturally contain fructose, the highly sweet form of sugar that can lead to obesity, doctors recommend that parents limit kids' servings of juice to around six ounces per day. Doctors cite earlier research conducted elsewhere that showed children who drank more than twelve ounces of fruit juice per day were three times more likely than kids who drank less than twelve ounces to become obese. A more recent U.S. study found that toddlers who drank the most juice were actually less likely to be overweight than kids who drank no juice at all. But overall, experts urge caution, stressing that older kids, especially if they are less active, shouldn't drink too much of the sweet stuff.
Dr. Richard Johnson / UF obesity expert
"So we want to try to restrict fruit juices and soft drinks, especially during the hot summer months when there's going to be increased desire to drink these fluids."
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Experts say the lion's share of kids' liquid intake should be water, with sports drinks and only small amounts of fruit juices following behind. Even though juices with a high percentage of real fruit offer healthy doses of vitamins and fiber, consuming excessive amounts of sweetened drinks can pack on the calories and raise the risk of developing obesity, in some instances overriding benefits.
Dr. Richard Johnson / UF obesity expert
"Juice contains a lot of fructose, and it may overwhelm the benefits of the fruit. So in other words, the fiber and the vitamin C may not be able to hold off, to combat the amount of fructose that's in a twelve-ounce glass."
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At the University of Florida Health Science Center, I'm Mike Garrison
