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.