The American Academy of Paediatrics thought that it was enough of a danger to issue a policy statement about 'The Use and Misuse of Fruit Juice in Paediatrics’.
In reality, there are a lot of other more important dangers to the child's health, but drinking too much fruit juice can be a problem. According to the AAP, drinking too much juice can contribute to obesity, the development of cavities (dental caries), diarrhoea, and other gastrointestinal problems, such as excessive gas, bloating and abdominal pain.
To keep intake of fruit juices to a healthy level, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommends the following practises:
*When given the child juice, it should be 100% pasteurized fruit juice and not fruit drinks.
*Fruit juice should not be given to infants younger than 6 months, although many paediatricians do recommend small amounts of juice for children that are constipated younger children aged 1 to 6 years should have only 4-6 ounces of juice a day.
*After 6 months, children should not get juice from bottles or cups that allow them to consume the beverage too easily.
*Older children should be limited to 8-12 ounces of juice a day instead of juice, children should be encouraged to eat whole fruits
*Children between 7 and 18 should limit fruit juice consumption to between 8 and 12 ounces a day.
If the family loves juice, try diluting the juice with water to cut the sugar content. Look for cloudy juices such as pineapple juice and pulpy orange juice.
Fruit juice guidelines for children
