Consumption of juice and fruit drinks among children and their parents or caregivers. In Fact

The Ministry of Health recommends that children consume water and unflavoured milk and eat fresh fruit. If juice is given to children, intake should be limited to one glass per day and it should be diluted at least 50:50 with water. Juice’s high sugar content and acidic nature can contribute to dental caries and tooth erosion, and excessive consumption increases the risk of obesity in older children and young people. In order to monitor trends and patterns in the consumption of beverages and foods, HPA collects data on what families eat and drink in the Health and Lifestyles Survey (HLS). Findings from the 2012 HLS are reported in this fact sheet.