Clinical inquiries. When is it OK for children to start drinking fruit juice?
Children should be at least 6 months of age and parents should provide only 100% fruit juice in a cup (not a bottle). Intake should be limited to 4 to 6 oz a day until 12 months of age. It's important to reiterate to parents that breastfeeding is the preferred source of infant nutrition for the first 6 (preferably 12) months of life. Sugar-sweetened fruit drinks have been linked to excess weight gain and obesity. Sugar-sweetened beverages provide little nutritional benefit to children and should be restricted.
Stephens
Mark B
MB
Uniformed Services Hospital, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Keville
Meaghan P
MP
Hathaway
Nathanael E
NE
Kendall
Susan K
SK
D001628:Beverages; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*