Wellness Wednesday Tip #47: New Fruit Juice Guidelines for Kids

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Welcome back folks! Happy Wellfie Wednesday! 

     This week we wanted to highlight the new American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines on fruit juice for kids. These are written for pediatrician use, but the information is extremely important for all parents, grandparents, and caregivers alike. The full document can be found here: Fruit Juice in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Current Recommendations.

     A few of the key conclusions and recommendations:

  • "Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits for infants younger than 1 year" and "should not be introduced into the diet of infants before 12 months of age unless clinically indicated"
  • After 1 year, limited to 4oz/day for ages 1-3 years, 4-6oz/day for ages 4-6 years, 8oz(1 cup)/day for ages 7-18 years.  

  • "Excessive juice consumption may be associated with malnutrition (overnutrition and undernutrition)" and "diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal distention, and tooth decay"

  • "Juice is not appropriate in the treatment of dehydration or the management of diarrhea"

  • "Consumption of unpasteurized juice products should be strongly discouraged in infants, children, and adolescents"

  • "Children should be encouraged to eat whole fruit to meet their recommended daily fruit intake"

Please share this information with anyone and everyone!

Thanks again for all of the #WellfieWednesday support, be sure to post your pictures this week and tag the WW crew members (@PBernerSPT, @Eric_in_AmERICa, @AaronPerezPT, @fitnerdaimee, @DianaKlatt) and keep the wave of healthy change going!

- WW Crew