Some young children who fail to grow properly may be suffering from overconsumption of fruit juice, which takes the place of more nourishing foods, a study of eight very young Brooklyn children suggests.
The children from 14 to 27 months old, were examined because they had not gained weight or increased in height as expected for children their age.All were consuming large amounts of fruit juice, most often apple juice. Juice intake ranged from 12 to 30 ounces a day and contributed from 25 percent to 60 percent of their daily calories.
The researchers, Melanie M. Smith and Dr. Fima Lifshitz of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, said that because of the heavy juice intake, the children were consuming too few calories and too little of the protein, fat, vitamins and minerals that they needed to develop properly.
All the parents regarded the juice as a nutritious snack and several offered it in place of fattier foods like whole milk. When the children's intake of fruit juice was curtailed, their caloric intake increased significantly and they began to gain weight.
The researchers cautioned parents that excess intake of any single food, even if it is considered nutritious, "can result in dietary imbalances and affect the weight gain and growth of children."