NEW YORK, May 07 (Reuters Health) - Parents who think they are sneaking extra vitamins and minerals into their child's diet with juice may be undermining their health in the long run, a group of pediatricians report.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) committee on nutrition, too much fruit juice can cause tooth decay, diarrhea and stomach pain, and lead to malnutrition in infants--especially when given at the expense of milk or formula.

"Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit for infants younger than 6 months," the committee members write in the May issue of Pediatrics.

Further, fruit juice may be contributing to an epidemic of childhood obesity in the US, Dr. William J. Cochran, a committee member, told Reuters Health. He said many children are "big-time juiceaholics" who consume up to 36 ounces of fruit juice daily.

"About 20% of kids in the US are overweight because they consume excess calories from beverages," he said, noting that soda is the primary culprit.

The committee recommends that parents limit juice intake to 8 to 12 ounces for 7- to 18-years-olds, and to 4 to 6 ounces for 1- to 6-year-olds.

Caregivers should avoid giving infants juice from bottles or easily transportable "sippy cups," which allow youngsters to carry juice around and sip it throughout the day, the committee notes. Similarly, infants should not be given juice at bedtime, since it can cause tooth decay. Teeth that are exposed to juice for most of the day or night will rot, leading to a phenomenon known as baby bottle tooth decay.

Juice is more damaging than milk or formula because it contains more sugar, Cochran said.

Unpasteurized juice should always be avoided since it can harbor harmful bacteria, the guidelines warn.

Fruit juice does not contain significant amounts of protein, fat, fiber, minerals or vitamins, other than vitamin C, the report indicates.

While some types of juice have added calcium, which is crucial to the development of bones and teeth, they should not be given instead of milk, the committee adds.

According to the report, children are the largest consumers of juice in the US. While kids younger than 12 account for about 18% of the population, they consume 28% of all juice and juice drinks. By the age of 1, nearly 90% of US infants are drinking juice.

From Reutershealth