Children's eating behaviour traits and dental caries

Assessment of oral hygiene parameters in association to eating behaviors and healthy eating self-efficacy in school-aged children

BACKGROUND

Eating behavior are a broad category influenced by a various personal, social, cultural, environmental, and economic factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the oral hygiene status of school-aged children in relation to their eating behavior and healthy eating self-efficacy.

METHODS

The study was carried out with the participation of 225 children aged 7-9 years. Parents carried out the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) to assess eating behaviors and provided sociodemographic information. Oral examinations of the children were provided according to plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), dmft and DMFT and, the Healthy Eating Self-Efficacy Scale (HESES) was administered to the children. For statistical analysis, a consistent partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) technique was utilized.

RESULTS

A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the Healthy Eating Self-Efficacy Scale and the PI, GI, OHI-S, dmfs (p < 0.001) and DMFS (p = 0.002). Emotional undereating significantly negatively affected dmfs (p = 0.021), while emotional overeating had a significant positive effect on DMFS (p = 0.036). None of the eating behavior subgroups in children showed a significant relationship with self-efficacy. Additionally, higher self-efficacy (p = 0.001) and food fussiness (p = 0.001) were found in children from high-income families, while emotional overeating (p < 0.001) and desire to drink (p = 0.009) were observed in children from middle-income families.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals a significant relationship between healthy eating self-efficacy and oral hygiene in children. Higher self-efficacy correlates with better oral health, while emotional eating negatively impacts dental outcomes. Socioeconomic factors also play a role, suggesting that interventions should target self-efficacy and emotional eating to improve both eating behaviors and oral health in school-aged children.

Overweight/obesity and dental caries in Brazilian children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This review aimed to assess the association between overweight/obesity and dental caries in Brazilian children/adolescents. Searches were performed in the Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, PubMed, Embase and SciELO, Lilacs and Open Grey literature databases up to June 2022. The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies, the checklist for cohort studies, and the checklist for case-control studies were used. A total of 41 publications were included, and 15 meta-analyses were performed. The authors analyzed the differences in weighted mean difference (MD) and odds ratios (OR), and their corresponding confidence intervals (CI) (95%) for dental caries among eutrophic and obese and/or overweight children/adolescents. Meta-analyses showed that there was no association between overweight and/or obesity and dental caries in Brazilian children/adolescents for most anthropometric reference curves using BMI (Body Mass Index). A greater experience of dental caries was associated with well-nourished adolescents in permanent dentition, compared with obese individuals in the same dentition, as classified by the CDC 2000 curve (OR = 2.53, 95% CI;1.49-4.29; p = 0.0006; I2 = 0%) in dichotomous outcome studies, and (MD = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.08-1.15; p = 0.02; I2 = 0%) in continuous studies. The strength of the evidence of the results was classified as very low, low or moderate. It was concluded that there is no association between overweight and/or obesity and dental caries in Brazilian children/adolescents for most anthropometric reference curves using BMI. A greater experience of dental caries was associated with well-nourished adolescents in permanent dentition, compared with obese individuals in the same dentition, as classified by the CDC 2000 curve.

Associations of diet quality, food consumption, eating frequency and eating behaviour with dental caries experience in Finnish children: a 2-year longitudinal study

We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of dietary factors with caries experience in a population sample of 487 children aged 6-9 years at baseline examinations of the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) Study. Altogether, 406 of these children attended 2-year follow-up examinations. Food consumption and eating frequency were assessed using 4-day food records, diet quality using the Baltic Sea Diet Score (BSDS) and eating behaviour using the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Caries experience was examined clinically. The cross-sectional associations of dietary factors with caries experience at baseline were analysed using linear regression and the longitudinal associations of dietary factors with a change in caries experience over follow-up using generalised mixed-effects regression adjusted for other risk factors. A higher consumption of high-fibre grain products (standardised regression coefficient β = -0·16, P = 0·003) and milk (β = -0·11, P = 0·025) and higher BSDS (β = -0·15, P = 0·007) were associated with lower caries experience, whereas a higher consumption of potatoes (β = 0·11, P = 0·048) and emotional overeating (β = 0·12, P = 0·025) were associated with higher caries experience. Higher snacking frequency (fixed coefficient β = 0·07, P = 0·033), desire to drink (β = 0·10, P = 0·046), slowness in eating (β = 0·12, P = 0·027) and food fussiness (β = 0·12, P = 0·018) were associated with higher caries experience, whereas enjoyment of food (β = -0·12, P = 0·034) and higher BSDS (β = -0·02, P = 0·051) were associated with lower caries experience.

Association of parental food choice motives, attitudes, and sugar exposure in the diet with early childhood caries: Case-control study

BACKGROUND

Parents can affect their children's diet by making some food components more accessible. Food choice motives and attitudes of the parents toward sugary food may influence children's diet.

The aim of the study is to investigate the association of parental food choice motives, attitudes toward sugar consumption, and dietary sugar exposure with early childhood caries (ECC).

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

This case-control study involved 200 children, aged 3-5 years with an equal number of cases (with ECC) and controls (without ECC), based on the WHO-decay-missing-filled teeth index criteria for dental caries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data for parental food choice motives and attitudes toward sugar consumption were obtained using questionnaire answered by their parents, and the dietary sugar exposure was calculated using a 24 h diet chart. Data were analyzed with multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Most parents (99.5%) considered "maintaining health and nutrition" as an important criterion, above 85% parents thought "mood of the child," "child likes and dislikes," "sensory appeal of the food item," "natural foods," "quality of the food," and "weight control" criteria important while selecting food items, with no significant difference between cases and controls. About 61% of the cases considered buying food based on convenience is important, as compared to 47% controls, and the difference was significant. Cases and controls did not differ in attitudes toward sugar consumption. Sugar exposure was significantly higher among the cases.

CONCLUSION

High dietary sugar exposure is associated with ECC. Parents of children with ECC are likely to buy foods for their children based on convenience and availability.