CHICAGO (AP) - Fruit juice should not be given to infants under 6 months, and older children's consumption should be limited, too, to avoid diarrhea, cavities, malnourishment and obesity, says the nation's largest group of pediatricians.

While 100 percent fruit juice has some benefits for children, doctors and parents should be alert to the risks, the American Academy of Pediatrics said in the May issue of its medical journal, Pediatrics.

The guidelines are an update of a 1991 statement that warned of problems associated with drinking juice but did not include recommended limits.

Many parents give their youngsters fruit juice because it is considered nutritious and most kids like it. But in finicky eaters, too much juice may replace more important nutrients, and in other children it adds calories that can contribute to obesity.

A 6-ounce glass of 100 percent fruit juice equals one serving of fruit. But juice lacks the fiber of whole fruit and offers no nutritional advantage over it, the academy said. In addition, juice's high carbohydrate content can cause diarrhea.

Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit for infants under 6 months. After that, it should be given only to children old enough to drink from a cup because putting juice in bottles prolongs exposure of teeth to sugars that can cause cavities, the academy said.

Children ages 1 to 6 should drink no more than 4 to 6 ounces of juice daily. Those ages 7 through 18 should have no more than two 6-ounce servings daily, and all children should be encouraged to eat whole fruits, the academy said.

The Processed Apples Institute, a fruit-juice industry group, said it agrees with the amounts recommended by the academy but also argued that "there's no reason for widespread concern" since most children are consuming amounts within the recommended limits.

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