Childhood obesity and tooth decay are growing concerns in today’s society and as research reveals, these problems are worse among low-income families.
While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that young children consume only one serving of juice each day, a survey conducted by the University of Michigan revealed that half of all kids from low-income families drink double that amount.
One of the causes of this problem is that many parents believe that pure fruit juice is a healthy option for their children that will serve as the fruit portion of a well-balanced diet. In reality, juice is not an adequate replacement for fruit and juices can have almost as much sugar in them as soda pop!
If you have a child six years old or younger, here are some simple guidelines to follow:
- allow your child to have no more than one serving of fruit juice a day
- stay away from soda pop as well
- encourage your child to drink water
- if he or she is resistant to drinking water, break up the one-day juice serving into multiple drinks by watering your juice down. The diluted juice may at first not satisfy your child, but he will quickly become accustomed to the more subtle taste
- encourage your child to eat fruits and vegetables, and familiarize yourself with Canada’s Food Guide to learn more about what comprises a healthy diet for children.
Steven Deskin is a Dentist in general practice.
