Even though diet sweeteners have no calories, they actually taste sweeter than regular sugar and are often found in children’s drinks. This handout identifies common names for diet sweeteners and how to identify them in children’s drinks.

Even though diet sweeteners have no calories, they actually taste sweeter than regular sugar and are often found in children’s drinks. This handout, translated in Spanish, identifies common names for diet sweeteners and how to identify them in children’s drinks.

Pediatricians say that it is better to eat whole fruits, and to only give juice once a day or less. This handout explains how to identify the most nutritious beverage options for your child.

Pediatricians say that it is better to eat whole fruits, and to only give juice once a day or less. This handout, translated in Spanish, explains how to identify the most nutritious beverage options for your child.

Some drinks call themselves “a water beverage,” but they often have added sugar and diet sweeteners. This handout shows common drinks that are confused for water and the ingredients they actually contain.

Some drinks call themselves “a water beverage,” but they often have added sugar and diet sweeteners. This handout, translated in Spanish, shows common drinks that are confused for water and the ingredients they actually contain.

Most brands sell juice boxes and pouches in many different sizes. This handout explains how to pick the best size option for your child’s age.

Most brands sell juice boxes and pouches in many different sizes. This handout, translated in Spanish, explains how to pick the best size option for your child’s age.

Rudd Center researchers assessed the sales, nutrition, and marketing of children’s drinks, defined as drinks that companies market as intended for children to consume (in marketing to parents and/or directly to children). Utilizing the same methods as previous FACTS reports, researchers collected data on the nutrition content and on-package marketing of children’s drinks by category, company, and brand. We report advertising spending in all media (including TV, magazines, and digital) and exposure to TV advertising by preschoolers (2-5 years) and children (6-11 years) using syndicated market research data, and assess changes in the past five years when possible. We also identified children’s drinks that met expert recommendations for healthier beverage choices for children.

Fruit drinks and flavored waters that contain added sugars and/or low-calorie (diet) sweeteners dominated sales of drinks intended for children in 2018, making up 62% of the $2.2 billion in total children’s drink sales, according to Children’s Drink FACTS 2019, a new report from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut.

Researchers assessed the top-selling brands of children’s drinks—including 34 sweetened drinks (fruit drinks, flavored waters, and drink mixes) and 33 drinks without added sweeteners (100% juice, juicewater blends, and one sparkling water)—analyzing sales, advertising spending, children’s exposure to TV advertising, nutritional content, and product packaging. Findings indicate one-third of all children’s fruit drinks contained 16 grams or more of sugar per serving— equivalent to 4 teaspoons, which is more than half of the maximum amount of added sugars experts recommend for children per day.