Perils of fruit juice

The Clinical Inquiry, “When is it OK for children to start drinking fruit juice?” was informative and helpful, but there are 3 additional points to consider:

1. The article said infants shouldn’t be given juice before 6 months of age, but recommended amounts start at 1 year. There is little evidence to indicate what amount should be given between 6 and 12 months.
2. Minority groups tend to have higher juice intake, reduced daily nutrient intake, and limited food group consumption.¹ In addition, women with children in daycare or supplemental nutrition programs are less likely to have positive child-feeding behaviors.² The reference cited in your article did not reflect these findings, but was based on a sample with a significantly smaller number of minorities than whites.
3. Early introduction of fruit juices may be associated with other comorbidities, such as chronic diarrhea and carbohydrate malabsorption, and short stature.³

Recognition of risk factors for negative feeding behaviors and targeted education for minorities are key factors when guiding parents on when to introduce juice.

Jada Moore-Ruffin, MD
Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta, Ga