For hydration and optiml nutrition, kids and teens can't go wrong with plain water, new beverage recommendations assert. Photo credit: iStock
Published January 30, 2025 under Research News
Kids and teens should stick to plain water, plain pasteurized milk, and limited amounts of pure fruit and vegetable juice for optimal nutrition and hydration, according to new recommendations from a group of leading U.S. health organizations.
The report, released this week by Healthy Eating Research (HER), also calls for limiting consumption of plant-based milk alternatives and flavored milks and avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and beverages with caffeine or other stimulants.
HER is a national program on nutrition funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and based in the Duke Global Health Institute. Mary Story, Ph.D., RD, a Duke professor of global health, family medicine and community health, is the principal investigator and director of the project.
The recommendations were developed as part of a collaboration by experts from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy), American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association (AHA). The same organizations convened in 2019 to release healthy beverage guidelines for children under 5 that are used by clinicians, registered dietitian nutritionists, dentists, public health departments, parents and caregivers across the U.S.
"We all want our kids to grow up healthy, and research shows that what kids and teens drink is an important part of a balanced diet, not just what they eat. But with so many drink products on the market right now, it can be hard for families to figure out what’s healthy and what’s not,” said Megan Elsener Lott, MPH, RDN, a DGHI researcher who serves as deputy director of HER. “These recommendations provide a gold standard based on the latest research and can serve as goals that families work toward together.”
Many beverages on the market, such as sports drinks and soda, contain added sugars that can contribute to the risk of dental cavities and diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Even drinks that contain non-sugar sweeteners are not as healthy as previously thought, given new research showing they may not help control body weight and may increase the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
Beverages with caffeine and other stimulants, such as coffee and energy drinks, are also popular, despite evidence suggesting there is no safe amount of caffeine for children under 18 years and it can contribute to poor sleep quality, increased blood pressure, depressive moods, and anxiety.
To develop the evidence-based recommendations, HER conducted an extensive review of scientific literature, existing guidelines from national and international bodies, and reports on childhood and adolescent beverage consumption. It convened an expert panel of representatives to review the evidence and develop recommendations. A scientific advisory committee of independent experts in pediatrics, childhood nutrition, dentistry, and dietary and nutrition guidance advised the process and reviewed the preliminary and final recommendations.
The full recommendations and accompanying technical report can be found at healthyeatingresearch.org. The site also includes infographics in several languages detailing topics covered in the recommendations.
