Almost 9 in 10 (89 %) parents across the UK are concerned that their children aren’t getting enough vitamins and minerals in their everyday diets, according to a new study.

The study, which surveyed parents across Great Britain, suggests the rising cost of living is partly to blame, with over 1 in 3 (38 %) saying food and drink rich in vitamins and minerals can be expensive to buy. The survey also revealed almost half (47 %) of British parents have no clear idea what foods or drinks their children are consuming at school – making it difficult to ensure they are maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

However, the study also revealed a lack of awareness among parents about the levels of essential vitamins and minerals in everyday staples such as fruit juice – which are inexpensive and easy to consume as part of children’s daily routine.

Fruit juice is an easy, affordable way for children to get a head start on key nutrients*: for example, a standard 150 ml glass of orange juice provides more than 90 % of the recommended vitamin C intake. A recent study published in the journal, Nutrition Research Reviews, found that 100 % fruit juice currently provides over a quarter (26 %) of the vitamin C intake for children across the UK, with the average child consuming just two to three small glasses a week.

While most Brits recognise that orange and other fruit juices are a good source of vitamin C – essential for a healthy immune system, skin health, and helping to increase iron absorption – the research revealed that many parents are unaware of the added health benefits provided by fruit juice which contains vitamins, minerals and plant bioactives.

For example, 9 in ten parents are unaware that orange juice contains folate – proven to support normal immune health and helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue. The majority of UK parents (87 %) also don’t know that orange juice contains potassium, a mineral which supports normal muscle function – helping children to stay fit and active.

The study revealed the small amount of calories in a typical small glass of fruit juice – just 20-40 kcal per day or 1-2 % of a child’s average daily calorie intake. Almost half (46 %) of parents across the UK mistakenly think fruit juice contains added sugar, despite the fact that 100 % fruit juice never contains added sugars, colours or preservatives and cannot be diluted with water under UK and European law.

Leading nutritionist and dietitian, Dr Carrie Ruxton, said: “Children’s health remains a top priority for parents across the country. However, with continuing financial pressures and uncertainty around kids’ food consumption at school, parents are finding it hard to keep track of what their children are eating and encourage healthier food choices.

“Although promoting and maintaining the health of your kids may feel like stressful at times, there are easy, affordable ways to ensure your children are fighting fit, and armed with all the vitamins and minerals they need. A simple first step is ensuring your kids have a daily glass of orange juice, which not only provides up 90% of the vitamin C recommendation per day** but is packed with a wide range of nutrients and antioxidants to support immunity, energy levels and active lives.”

Carrie Ruxton’s top five easy, quick and affordable ways to keep children healthy are:

1. Drinking Daily Juice: Giving children a daily glass of 100 % orange juice with breakfast will naturally increase their intakes of vitamin C, folate and potassium to support normal immune health and muscle function. It doesn’t matter whether you buy a carton of fruit juice or squeeze it at home – both are rich in vitamin C.
2. Fibre-tastic: Fibre is an essential nutrient to encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and promote healthy digestion. An affordable way to weave this into your kids’ diets is to swap sugary breakfast cereals for wheat biscuits or bran flakes, or add peas, beans or sweetcorn to evening meals.
3. Taste the rainbow: Aim to give your kids five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Try adding blended or grated veg into pasta sauces, or bananas to sweeten desserts. Buying frozen veggies and fruit is an affordable way to preserve key ingredients for longer.
4. Delicious Dairy: Yogurt drinks and desserts are often a good source of calcium and vitamin D for children, which are important for growth and maintaining strong bones. They are also relatively affordable when brought in multi-packs.
5. Get fishy: Giving children a portion of oily fish each week will provide inflammatory omega-3 fats to improve brain function, alongside key bone strengthening nutrients such as zinc and selenium. Tinned fish such as tuna is affordable, has a long shelf life, and is an easy after school meal served with pasta, sweetcorn and mayonnaise.

*Walton J & Kehoe L (2024) Current perspectives and challenges in the estimation of fruit juice consumption across the lifecycle in Europe – PubMed (nih.gov).
** Salar FJ et al. (2024) Comparison of vitamin C and flavanones between freshly squeezed orange juices and commercial 100% orange juices from four European countries – PubMed (nih.gov)

Current beverage labeling regulations appear to fall short of helping parents identify the ingredients, sugar and juice makeup of beverages they purchase for their children, a recent study published in Pediatric Obesity suggests. This has researchers calling for changes to beverage labeling regulations to increase transparency and help consumers choose healthier beverages.

The experimental online study included over 1,600 parents who had healthy children aged 1 to 5 years old. Parents were shown product label information for commonly consumed children’s beverages, including flavoured waters, 100 % fruit juice, and juice drinks and other beverages containing added sugars or non-nutritive (artificial) sweeteners. Some parents were shown only front labels, while some were shown both front and back or side labels which included the Nutrition Facts panel and other information. Study participants then answered questions concerning the sugar and percent juice content of the beverages.

About one-third of participants indicated they were not confident they could identify the added sugar and juice content of beverages. Only about half of study participants (48 percent) said they looked at the Nutrition Facts panel all or most of the time when choosing beverages for their children.

Overall, participants frequently underestimated the percent of juice in 100 % fruit juice. Even though the percent juice was stated on the package front for the 100 % fruit juice product in the study, only 51 percent of parents who were shown only the package front correctly identified the juice percentage. When exposed to additional information on the back and side panels, 37 percent still could not correctly identify the percent juice and 40 percent incorrectly said that 100 % juice contained added sugars.

Conversely, participants frequently overestimated the amount of pure fruit juice in sugar-sweetened juice drinks and beverages. For an added-sugar product that looks similar to 100 % orange juice but contains only 5 percent juice, almost all participants (98 percent) could not accurately state the amount of pure juice just by looking at the front of the label and, on average, estimated that the product contained 45 percent pure fruit juice, 40 percent higher than the actual juice content. Fewer than half of participants who additionally looked at back/side labels could correctly identify the percent juice content and, on average, estimated that the beverage contained 24 percent pure juice. For beverages that are not 100 % fruit juice there is no requirement to identify sweeteners or juice content on the front label.

“The results are striking and this study suggests that labels for 100 % fruit juice and fruit beverages or drinks are not working as intended and for many parents may result in misunderstandings and confusion when trying to choose healthful beverages for their children,” said Gail Rampersaud, registered dietitian nutritionist in the Scientific Research Department of the Florida Department of Citrus. “Consumers need more education coupled with labels that are clearer and easier to understand,” added Rampersaud.

The results suggest that lack of knowledge and clear labeling may lead parents to choose less healthy added-sugar beverages over 100 % juices, such as 100 % orange juice. The researchers suggest that the Food and Drug Administration allow label declarations that will increase transparency concerning juice percentage and sweetener content, particularly on front of package, to help consumers make healthful beverage choices.