Orange juice intake and anthropometric changes in children and adolescents

Evaluate associations between orange juice (OJ) consumption and anthropometric parameters.

Prospective cohort study assessing the association between OJ intake and changes in BMI and height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) using mixed linear regression.

2004-2008, USA.

Children from the Growing Up Today Study II (n 7301), aged 9-16 years at enrollment.

OJ consumption was positively associated with 2-year change in HAZ in girls (mean (se)): 0·03 (0·01) for non-consumers, 0·03 (0·02) for 1-3 glasses/month, 0·06 (0·01) for 1-6 glasses/week and 0·09 (0·02) for ≥1 glass/d after full adjustment (Ptrend = 0·02). However, OJ consumption was not associated with 2-year change in BMI percentile (kg/m2, mean (se)): -0·44 (0·36) for non-consumers, 0·20 (0·41) for 1-3 glasses/month, -0·04 (0·34) for 1-6 glasses/week and -0·77 (0·62) for ≥1 glass/d in girls, Ptrend = 0·81; -0·94 (0·53) for non-consumers, -1·68 (0·52) for 1-3 glasses/month, -0·81 (0·38) for 1-6 glasses per week and -1·12 (0·61) for ≥1 glass/d in boys, Ptrend = 0·49.

OJ consumption was favourably associated with height growth but unrelated to excess weight gain. OJ may be a useful alternative to whole fruit in the event that whole fruit intake is insufficient.