Is Consumption of Fruit Juice Associated with an Increased Risk of Overweight or Obesity in Canadian School Age Children?

Background: Obesity rates in Canada have tripled in the last three decades. Up to 32% of 5-17-year-olds in Canada are overweight (20%) or obese (12%). Excess weight in childhood has been linked to health issues that are major public health concern. For children, fruit juice is an important proportion of their daily fruit and vegetable servings. However, little is known about the association of fruit juice consumption and obesity. Objective: To investigate the association of consumption of fruit juice and the risk of overweight or obesity in 12 to 17 year-olds in Canada.Methods: Using the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS 2011-1012) we examined the association of fruit juice consumption and the risk of overweight or obesity in Canadian youth, while controlling sex, household income, healthy diet, and physical activity.Results: After adjusting for relevant confounders, consumption of more than one fruit juice a day remained associated with a lower odds of overweight or obesity. Even though the 95% CI for all the daily fruit juice consumption categories examined in the adjusted model included ‘1’, fruit juice consumption was associated with a reduction in the odds of being overweight or obese between 16% and 27%.Conclusion: We found a moderate negative association of daily consumption of fruit juice and overweight or obesity in Canadian youth. However, before any dietary recommendation on this age group of children are established, more research is needed to clarify the role of sex and healthy diet in this association.