Even juice could lead to obesity
09 February, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Sweet drinks - whether they are sugar water with fruit flavoring or all-natural apple juice - seem to raise the risk of pudgy preschoolers getting fatter, new research suggests. That may come as a surprise to parents who pride themselves on seeking out fruit drinks with no added sugar. "Juice is definitely a part of this," said lead researcher Jean Welsh of the US government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While fruit juice does have vitamins, nutritionists say it's inferior to fresh fruit. The new US dietary guidelines, for example, urge consumers away from juice, suggesting they eat whole fruit instead. The bottom line, though, is that "children need very few calories in their day," Welsh said. "Sweet drinks are a source of added sugar in the diet." She said preschoolers were better off snacking on fruit or drinking water or milk. Welsh's research is published in the February issue of Pediatrics. End.
|
