While shopping for groceries Scott Masola expressed his love of fruit juice by saying, “Pomegranate is my favorite. I like apple with a lot of sugar and orange is good for breakfast.” Masola is not alone as many equate certain juices with different meals. When thinking of breakfast people’s minds go to fruit juices like apple, orange and cranberry. For children, their picky eating habits led to parents substituting fruit in the form of juice for these meals. This substitution can lead to concerns about moderation, nutrition, weight gain and childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 14.7 million children in America had Body Mass Index (BMI) levels in the obese range from 2017-2021. The CDC says the statistic means the prevalence of childhood obesity is high in the United States. The World Health Organization reports that between 1990 and 2022 the worldwide childhood obesity rate increased from four to eight percent. Researchers at the University of Toronto conducted a meta-analysis study to examine fruit juice’s role in the global childhood obesity problem. The meta-analysis was published in the American Medical Association of Pediatrics in January. The study, conducted in 2023, analyzed 42 other studies on increases in BMI in children and weight gain in adults due to hundred percent fruit juice. These other studies examined were randomized clinical trials which included 17 conducted on children and 25 on adults.

While results on BMI were moderate, a positive association was found between hundred percent fruit juice and small BMI gains in younger children. This does not mean the juice entirely caused the change in BMI levels. Researchers discovered each additional eight-ounce serving of juice led to a .07-pound increase in weight for children. Natalie Caine-Bish, Associate Nutrient Professor at Kent State University, believes the moderate results are due to fruit juice being a calorie-dense food. With calorie-dense foods she means, “It takes more fruit to make that juice than it would be if you just ate the whole fruit.” Children eight years and under experienced the greatest gain with .33 pounds, over a quarter of a pound, with every additional serving. Additionally, juices considered to contain “superfoods” like pomegranate, berry and cherry were found to be linked to weight loss. Conversely, more standard and common juice flavors like apple, citrus and grape were found to tend toward weight gain.

The research team believes the link connecting one hundred percent fruit juice and weight gain is liquid calories. To them, liquid calories could be more weight costly compared to the consumption of solid-calorie foods like actual fruit. The team recommends that parents add real fruit into their children’s diets over the juiced version to avoid adolescent weight. Caine-Bish advises against omitting fruit juice from diets due to its vitamins and minerals. Rather she encourages mindfulness in portion sizes and utilizing My Plate or Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Both scientists and Northeast Ohio parents agree that moderation is key and should be practiced to promote healthy eating habits in adulthood. Masola echoes a similar statement to Caine-Bish and others by saying, “There are smart choices and there are bad choices.”