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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Go ahead and let your preschoolers drink sugary fruit juice -- or any other beverage they like.
Contrary to what some people think, tanking up on high fat or sugary liquids doesn't lead to weight gain among those 5 and younger.
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The finding comes from researchers who looked at body mass index (BMI) and beverage consumption among a large database of children included in a national health and nutrition study. Even though kids who consumed more beverages also took in more calories, they don't weigh more than their "teatodaling" counterparts. The finding held true regardless of the kind of beverages the kids drank -- 100-percent fruit juice, milk, fruit drinks, or even soda.
Of course, healthier drinks are advisable for their nutritional value. Unhealthy habits developed in the preschool years could continue as children get older. In that regard, researchers found reason for concern. For example, while 83 percent of children drank milk, most drank less than the recommended 16 ounces each day, and the vast majority drank full fat varieties. Forty-four percent of the kids drank fruit drinks, and 39 percent drank soda.
The investigators believe these results suggest much more work needs to be done to truly understand how diet affects weight gain in children, noting the associations are just not as simple as people have assumed. "New studies to investigate the relationship among beverage consumption, total energy intake, and development of overweight should be performed," they write.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Pediatrics, 2006;118:e1010-e1018
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