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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #268968
Title: Diet quality is positively associated with 100% fruit juice consumption in children and adults in the United States: NHANES 2003-2006

Author
item O'NEIL, CAROL - LSU Agcenter
item NICKLAS, THERESA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item ZANOVEC, MICHAEL - LSU Agcenter
item FULGONI III, VICTOR - Nutrition Impact, Llc

Submitted to: Nutrition Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2011
Publication Date: 2/13/2011
Citation: O'Neil, C.E., Nicklas, T.A., Zanovec, M., Fulgoni III, V.L. 2011. Diet quality is positively associated with 100% fruit juice consumption in children and adults in the United States: NHANES 2003-2006. Nutrition Journal. 10(17): 1-10.

Interpretive Summary: One hundred percent fruit juice (FJ) has been viewed by some as a sweetened beverage with concerns about its effect on weight gain/obesity in children. Our study showed that diet quality was better in all age groups of one hundred percent FJ consumers when compared with nonconsumers. With the exception of children 2-5, this study showed that, usual intake of one hundred percent FJ was within the MyPyramid recommendations for children, adolescents, and adults, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for children and adolescents. Consumption of any amount of one hundred percent FJ was associated with improved diet quality in all age groups. Due to its contribution to overall diet quality, one hundred percent FJ should be recommended to all age groups as a component of a healthy diet.

Technical Abstract: One hundred percent fruit juice (100% FJ) has been viewed by some as a sweetened beverage with concerns about its effect on weight. Little regard has been given to the contribution of 100% FJ to diet quality. In this study data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to examine the association of 100% FJ consumption with diet quality in participants 2-5 years of age (y) (n = 1665), 6-12 y (n = 2446), 13-18 y (n = 3139), and 19+y (n = 8861). Two 24-hour dietary recalls were used to determine usual intake using the National Cancer Institute method. Usual intake, standard errors, and regression analyses (juice independent variable and Healthy Eating Index-2005 [HEI-2005] components were dependent variables), using appropriate covariates, were determined using sample weights. The percentage of participants 2-5 y, 6-12 y, 13-18 y, and 19+y that consumed 100% FJ was 71%, 57%, 45%, and 62%, respectively. Usual intake of 100% FJ (ounce [oz]/day) among the four age groups was: 5.8 +/- 0.6, 2.6 +/- 0.4, 3.7 +/- 0.4, and 2.4 +/- 0.2 for those in age groups 2-5 y, 6-12 y, 13-18 y, and 19+y, respectively. Consumption of 100% FJ was associated with higher energy intake in 6-12 y, 13-18 y, and 19+y; and higher total, saturated, and discretionary fats in 13-18 y participants. Consumption of 100% FJ was associated with higher total HEI-2005 scores in all age groups (less than 0.0001). In 100% FJ consumers, total and whole fruit consumption was higher and intake of added sugars was lower in all age groups. In conclusion, usual intake of 100% FJ consumption exceeded MyPyramid recommendations for children 2-5 y, but was associated with better diet quality in all age groups and should be encouraged in moderation as part of a healthy diet.