The prevalence of overweight/obesity in high school adolescents in Jeddah and the association of obesity association with dental caries

Prevalence of Obesity and Dental Caries in High School Adolescents during the First Decade of Saudi Vision 2030: A Cross-Sectional Study

Saudi Vision 2030 was launched in 2016. Obesity and dental caries are both highly prevalent in Saudi adolescents and have been targeted by the Vision's health initiatives. The aim is to assess their prevalence in adolescents during the first decade since the launch of the Vision. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia using a stratified sample of 571 high school students, with an average age of 16.7 (0.6). Their height and weight were measured, and their body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The decayed, missed, and filled scores (DMFTs) were recorded after an oral examination. Non-parametric tests were used to assess the associations of DMFT with BMI, sex, and school type; and its predictors were assessed. One-third of males were overweight/obese compared with 22% of females. Males exhibited higher DMFTs than females. DMFTs were higher among public school students than among their private school counterparts. No significant association was observed between DMFT and BMI. Sex and school type were significant predictors of DMFT. The prevalence of obesity has slowly decreased in adolescents, but the prevalence of dental caries has not. There was no significant relationship between these conditions. Saudi Vision 2030's current preventive/educational initiatives may be more effective in combating obesity than dental caries.

Correlates of Sedentary Time Among Children and Adolescents in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

PURPOSE

To assess the correlates of sedentary time among children and adolescents in Ethiopia.

METHODS

The study was conducted in representative samples of children and adolescents in the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine associations of sedentary time and predictor variables.

RESULTS

The mean sedentary time was 4.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.35-4.86) hours per day. Overall, the prevalence of high sedentary time (>3 h/d) was 68.2% (95% CI, 64.2-72.2). Results of multivariable logistic regression analyses showed a statistically significant association between high sedentary time and female household head (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32-0.80), literate mothers (AOR = 1.98; 95% CI, 1.26-3.11), child attending public school (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.12-2.85), children who belonged to the poor and rich household wealth tertiles compared with medium wealth tertile (AOR = 2.30; 95% CI, 1.42-3.72 and AOR = 2.04; 95% CI, 1.14-3.65, respectively), and those families that did not have adequate indoor play space for children (AOR = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.72).

CONCLUSION

The study found that time spent sedentary was high in the study area as compared with other studies of similar settings. Several modifiable factors were identified that can be targeted in interventions to reduce sedentary time in the study setting.

Association between dental caries and obesity among Libyan schoolchildren during the armed conflict in Benghazi

BACKGROUND

Dental caries and Obesity in children are issues of public health concern. Even though researching the relationship between these two noncommunicable diseases has been conducted for many years, the results remain equivocal. This paper aimed to examine the association between dental caries and obesity among 12-year-old schoolchildren living in war-affected environment in Benghazi.

METHODS

A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of caries among 12-year-old school children in Benghazi in 2017 during the armed conflict that affected the city. The data extracted for the analysis included sociodemographic of the participants (gender, maternal education and school type), caries experience (DMFT index), and anthropometric measures (height in cm, weight in kg, BMI and Z score for BMI). Comparisons of anthropometric measures were conducted according to caries experience. Linear regression models were developed to determine the association between Body Mass Index and Z score as outcome variables, caries as an explanatory variable, and covariates (gender, maternal education and school type). Beta coefficient (β) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. All statistical tests were conducted at p ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

There were 782 children with a mean (SD) BMI of 20.7 SD5.09 and an average z (SD) score of 0.56 SD1.51. Also, 159 (20%) children had obesity. No significant association was observed between caries and anthropometric measures. However, higher BMI was observed in children from a private school (p ≤ 0.001***), females (p ≤ 0.001***) and self-reported regular sugary drinks consumers (p ≤ 0.001***).

CONCLUSION

The present study shows no significant association between dental caries and anthropometric measures. However, the study findings support the notion of tackling sugar intake as a common risk factor for caries and obesity, which should be encouraged in the Libyan culture.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviors, and breakfast eating as factors influencing BMI in Saudi students, aged 10 to 15 years

BACKGROUND

Eating less and moving more are the simplest and most common strategies to combat excessive weight. Several other lifestyle factors can also contribute to maintaining a healthy weight.

OBJECTIVES

The present study examined the effects of breakfast frequency, duration and quality of sleep, daily physical activity, sedentary behaviours, and school transportation on the BMI of Saudi students, aged 10-15 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 981 students (240 girls (24.46%) [66 children (27.5%) and 174 adolescents (72.5%)] and 741 boys (75.54%) [441 children (59.51%) and 300 adolescents (40.49%)]). For each participant, height, weight, and body composition were obtained using bioelectric impedance analysis. A questionnaire focussing on lifestyle behaviours over the last seven days was also completed by each student. Multiple comparisons were performed to test for significant differences between the groups, stratified by sex, age, and BMI. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the variables that significantly affected BMI.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in boys was 12.82% and 25.1%, and in girls, 10.42% and 5.42%, respectively. Most participants used cars or buses as transportation to and from school (100% of girls and 83% of boys). Breakfast was skipped mainly by male participants. Boys tended to sleep more than girls during school days (488.90 ± 74.33 vs. 467.76 ± 78.75 min. night-1). They were more active (2.58 ± 0.69 vs. 2.34 ± 0.82), used laptops more frequently (2.46 ± 1.51 vs. 1.90 ± 1.63), and played more video games (3.12 ± 1.43 vs. 1.2875 ± 1.36) than girls. However, girls were less sedentary (2.63 ± 0.76 vs. 2.9±.79), watched more TV (3.65 ± 1.155 vs. 2.73 ± 1.48) and used their smartphones more (3.6625 ± 1.3 vs. 3.28 ± 1.44) than boys.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed significant associations between BMI and breakfast intake, physical activities, and sedentary behaviours. Of these, using laptops and playing video games were the key sedentary activities that influenced BMI.Key messagesA significantly higher prevalence of overweight and obesity was noted among boys compared to girls in private school students, aged 10-15 years, in Al-Ahsa governorate, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.Boys slept more than girls on school days, and they were more active, used laptops more frequently, and played more video games than girls. Girls were less sedentary, watched television more often, and used smartphones more frequently than boys.Among private school students aged 10-15 years in Al-Ahsa governorate, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, BMI was significantly associated with breakfast intake frequency, physical activity, and sedentary behaviours, among which using laptops and playing video games were the sedentary activities that most influenced BMI.

What is the current status of childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia?: Evidence from 20,000 cases in the Eastern Province: A cross-sectional study

The prevalence rate of those overweight, as well as obesity among children in Saudi Arabia, keeps rising. The aim of the study was to estimate childhood obesity in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Over the period 2016 to 2017, a cross-sectional campaign was carried out in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from over 20,000 boys' and girls' schools. The campaign collected data on birthday/age, weight, height, sex, district in which the school is located, level of education, and blood pressure level. The findings from the present study indicated a prevalence of 25.7% for overweight and obesity among high school-age students. More importantly, ≈35% of the study's students have either elevated blood pressure or hypertension. The significant predictors of childhood obesity were education level, age, glucose level, and blood pressure. The children in higher school levels originally from the Eastern Province had a high prevalence of overweight and obesity. Recommendations are made on the need of regular screening program among school-age children, as well as to continue raising awareness about childhood obesity.

Correlation between BMI and Oral Health Status (DMFT, PI, mSBI, and Salivary 1,5-AG) among the Pediatric Population in Saudi Arabia: A Clinico-Biochemical Study

The study aimed to investigate the association of varying body mass index (BMI) with oral health status among children aged 5−14 years and correlate the concentration of salivary levels of 1,5-AG with varying BMI, dental caries, and periodontal disease. This cross-sectional study was conducted on subjects aged 5 to 14 years. The children were recruited from the Pediatric Dental Clinic, College of Dentistry, Majmaah University, by convenient sampling method. Sociodemographic details and clinical parameters, including body mass index (BMI), DMFT/def (deciduous decayed tooth (d), deciduous extracted tooth (e), deciduous filled tooth (f), permanent tooth decayed (D), permanent missing tooth (M), and permanent filled tooth (F)), plaque index (PI), and modified sulcular bleeding index (mSBI), were evaluated. Salivary 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) was analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for all the subjects. Statistical analyses performed using SPSS v. 27 (IBM Statistics, Chicago, IL, USA) and the Kruskal−Wallis and chi-square tests were used for comparisons. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to examine the association between the study subjects’ independent variables, BMI, and caries activity. The mean def score, PI, and mSBI scores were higher in obese children. PI score, mSBI score, and salivary concentrations of 1,5-AG between the BMI categories were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The study emphasizes promoting preventive oral health regimes, health awareness campaigns, and nutritional educational programs among the pediatric population.

Association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and Dental Caries among 6-12-Year-Old School Children

This study aimed to identify the association between BMI and dental caries in 6−12-year-old children. This cross-sectional study was carried out among 6−12-year-old school children and their parents. The data on Body Mass Index (BMI) and dental caries for study participants were included in the study. The association between BMI and dental caries was evaluated using SPSS software. The study comprises 400 school children (157 boys and 243 girls) aged an average of 8.9 years. The overall prevalence of dental caries was 84% in primary dentition and 75% in permanent dentition, with a mean DMFT and dmft (decayed, missing and filled teeth) of 2.85 and 5.48, respectively. There was a significant association witnessed between mothers’ education and BMI status. A significant association was also evident between decayed (d), missing (m) and filled (f) teeth and overall dmft with different BMI categories (p < 0.05). There was no significant association evident between DMFT and each category of BMI (p > 0.05). The dmft and DMFT within the four BMI categories by one-way ANOVA were highly significant (p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis helped us identify the relationship among the various categories of BMI with dental caries. There was a positive association evident between the BMI of the children and dental caries.

Does Dental Caries Increase Risk of Undernutrition in Children?

INTRODUCTION

A systematic review of the evidence on the impact of dental caries on malnutrition risk in children was conducted.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review published evidence pertaining to the effect of dental caries severity and prevalence on risk of wasting or stunting in children.

METHODS

Four questions relating to caries of the permanent dentition, primary dentition, early childhood caries (ECC), and severe ECC as a risk factor for undernutrition were set. The target population was children aged 0 to 18 y from any country. Data sources included MEDLINE and Embase. All human epidemiological studies were included. Quality assessment excluded lowest-quality studies. Evidence synthesis by vote counting was depicted using harvest plots. A best available evidence approach was applied to narrative synthesis. The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement.

RESULTS

Of the 2,690 studies identified, 447 were screened in duplicate; of these, 117 underwent quality assessment, resulting in 46 included studies, of which 38 were included in vote counting (3 quasi-experimental, 1 cohort, 1 case control, and 33 cross-sectional studies). For the permanent dentition, findings were mixed; the balance of data showed no association between caries prevalence (7/11 studies) or severity (8/17 studies) with wasting. For the primary dentition, the balance of data showed a positive association between caries prevalence (10/15 studies) and severity (12/15 studies) with wasting, as well as between-caries prevalence (4/5 studies) and severity (6/6 studies) with stunting. Considering ECC only did not alter this pattern of findings.

CONCLUSION

The balance of evidence suggests that dental caries in the primary dentition is associated with undernutrition. There is a need for well-designed trials on the impact of caries rehabilitation on growth trajectories of children from low- and middle-income countries and for prospective studies of the impact of caries severity on both stunting and wasting to confirm causality.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

The results of this study can be used by policy makers when considering the importance of oral health in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to end all forms of malnutrition. The findings suggest that dental caries in the primary dentition may impair children's healthy weight gain. The findings indicate that higher-quality data are required to confirm a causal relationship and thus inform funding bodies of the need for research, especially in low- and middle-income countries, to substantiate the current knowledge and inform clear and accurate policy statements.

What is a "high" prevalence of obesity? Two rapid reviews and a proposed set of thresholds for classifying prevalence levels

Categories such as "low" and "high" have been used for several decades to describe the prevalence of stunting and wasting in populations of children aged under 5 years. They provide support for public health risk assessment and policy-making, including alerting health departments and aid agencies to national trends and local needs. In the light of the need for monitoring progress to meet globally agreed targets for overweight and obesity, the classification of their prevalence will be a valuable to aid in policy development, to target resources, and to promote public health interventions. This paper reviews the current use of categories to describe obesity prevalence in policy, advocacy, and research literature. Where prevalence categories have been formally proposed, this paper compares their application on large-scale datasets. The paper then develops a set of recommended threshold values to classify prevalence levels for overweight and obesity among children under age 5 years, children aged 5-19 years, and adults.

Determinants of dental caries in children in the Middle East and North Africa region: a systematic review based on literature published from 2000 to 2019

Background

Dental caries risk factors have been expanded to not only emphasize biology, dietary and oral habits but also broader social determinants such as socioeconomic factors and the utilization of health services. The aim was to review sociobehavioural/cultural and socioeconomic determinants of dental caries in children residing in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Methods

A search was conducted in the PubMed/Medline database and Google Scholar to identify studies published from 2000 to 2019 covering children using key search terms. In the initial stages, titles, abstracts and, if needed, full articles were screened for eligibility. In the final stage, all included articles were reassessed and read, and relevant data were extracted.

Results

Out of 600 initial articles, a total of 77 were included in this review, of which 74 were cross-sectional, 2 were longitudinal and one was a case–control study. The studies included a total of 94,491 participants in 14 countries across the MENA region. A majority used the World Health Organization scoring system to assess dental caries. The caries prevalence ranged between 17.2% and 88.8%, early childhood caries between 3% and 57% and decayed missing filled teeth (dmft) varied between 0.6 and 8.5 across the various age groups. Increased age, low maternal education, low overall socioeconomic status, decreased frequency of tooth brushing, low parental involvement, poor oral habits, infant feeding practices and sugar consumption were among the most prevalent determinants for increased risk of caries in the reviewed studies.

Conclusions

Dental caries was found to be high among children in many of the studies published from MENA. The key determinants of dental caries were found to include factors related to child characteristics, family background, oral hygiene and infant feeding and eating habits. The high dental caries prevalence emphasises the need to address the prevailing modifiable sociobehavioural and socioeconomic determinants by translating them into effective oral health prevention policies and programmes.

Prevalence and social determinants of overweight and obesity in adolescents in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

Obesity in adolescents has a serious impact later in life in the form of disturbances in health and wellbeing. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity (Ow/Ob) in Saudi adolescents and to construct an ecological model of social determinants (SDs) of Ow/Ob and evaluate current evidence of their effect on Saudi adolescents. A systematic review of literature reported up until 31 December 2018 on Ow/Ob and factors that can influence them in Saudi adolescents was conducted. Fifty-one studies with n = 97 666 adolescents (55.6% males) were reviewed. The prevalence of Ow/Ob started off high and continued to increase over time. Most of the 49 reviewed SDs reports, from 19 studies, showed positive association between SDs constructed ecological model and Ow/Ob in Saudi adolescents. The prevalence of Ow/Ob among adolescents is a major public health problem in Saudi Arabia, is growing at an alarming rate and SDs play a significant role in this problem, and should be considered in all strategies targeting it. The constructed ecological model for SDs of Ow/Ob in adolescents can serve as a useful exploratory tool that helps investigating the multi-faceted aetiology of adolescent Ow/Ob and facilitates the development of effective intervention and prevention programmes.

Nutritional habits among nursing students using Moore Index for Nutrition Self Care: A cross-sectional study from the nursing school Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background

The topics of under-nutrition and over-nutrition are important and have significant roles in adolescent life. These concepts must be explored in adolescents owing to the undesirable effects that being underweight or overweight causes.

Purpose

To evaluate the nutrition habits among adolescents from King Saud University nursing school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using the Arabic Version of Moore Index for Nutrition Self Care.

Method

This was a cross-sectional study carried out at a King Saud University nursing school campus to evaluate the Nutrition habits among adolescents. Self-care practises related to nutrition were assessed by using a self-report questionnaire that consisted of 50 items assessed on a five-point Likert scale. Data were collected between January to March 2019.

Findings

The study results revealed that most students 120 (85.7%) had fair nutritional habits, while 11 (7.9%) had good nutritional habits and 9 (7.9%) had poor nutritional habits. There was a significant difference between those who exercised regularly (mean 53.42) and those who did not exercise regularly (mean 46.83; p = .002). In addition, simple linear regression revealed that working out regularly was associated with the score on the nutritional questionnaire (β = -6.41; SE 2.5, p = .01). Results revealed no significant associations between gender or age and (p = .8; p = .9) nutritional score.

Conclusion

To increase levels of good nutritional habits and awareness, it may be useful to adopt educational programs for dietary consumption and physical training promotion.

Relationship between Obesity and Dental Caries in Saudi Male Adolescents

Introduction

Obesity and dental caries are global public health problems. There are conflicting reports about the relationship between caries and obesity. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the association between obesity and dental caries among male adolescents.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study included a sample of 258 male students' aged 12 to 15 years from schools in Dammam/Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The study involved measuring caries prevalence and DMFT estimates, assessing body mass index (BMI), and administering a self-completion questionnaire. Independent samples Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA test, Pearson's correlation test, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

Caries prevalence of the sample was 79.8%, and the mean score of DMFT was 3.55 ± 2.94. The mean BMI of participants was 23.42 ± 6.82 and 18% were obese (BMI > 30). The obese participants had a higher mean DMFT score (4.46 ± 3.54) than nonobese participants (3.35 ± 2.77) (P=0.021). Similarly, the mean untreated caries was higher in obese (4.17 ± 3.22) than in nonobese participants (3.01 ± 2.66) (P=0.010). In the logistic regression analysis, after controlling for father's education, family history of obesity, meals per day, fast food per week, and physical activity in the final model, the participants with high caries experience (DMFT = 5-15) were 2.21 times more likely to have obesity than those with low caries experience (DMFT = 0-4) (P=0.04). No/school education of father (odds ratio 3.54, P=0.011), family history of obesity (odds ratio 3.27, P=0.002), and not performing physical activity (odds ratio 4.37, P=0.002) were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of obesity.

Conclusion

The prevalence of caries and obesity was high in male adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Obesity was significantly associated with untreated caries and caries experience. Children with high caries experience were more likely to have obesity than children with low caries experience. Preventive programs and policies should address public health issues related to caries and obesity in male teenagers.

Overweight, obesity, weight-related behaviors, and health-related quality of life among high-school students in Turkey

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and associated socio-demographic and lifestyle behaviors among a sample of high-school students in Turkey. This study also examined the effect of overweight and obesity on health-related quality of life in students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 1216 adolescents aged 14-18 years old was conducted from 2018 to 2019 in Turkey, using questionnaire forms and anthropometric measurements. Classification of BMI was based on the WHO reference weight categories. Factors linked to adolescent obesity were identified using the binary logistic regression model and the degree of association was revealed by determining the odds ratio, at a confidence interval (CI) of 95%.

RESULTS

The prevalence of overweight was 26.1%, while that of obese students was 12.8%. Factors associated with being obese included being in the 14-15 age group, being male, having dysfunctional family relationships, spending more than 3 h/day on screen time, and performing physical activity (≥ 60 min) two times or less per week. Obese adolescents reported significantly lower scores in physical and mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, more than one-third of the students were either overweight or obese. Obesity was associated with screen time, physical activity, and family relationship. Obesity in children had a negative impact on their quality of life. Therefore, increasing physical activity, lowering screen time, and having a healthy parent-adolescent relationship could contribute to reducing the prevalence of obesity in overweight/obese students.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, descriptive (cross-sectional) study.

Dental Caries and Its Association with Body Mass Index among School Children of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background:

Few studies have investigated the relationship of dental caries with obesity among Saudi Arabian population. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the association of obesity with dental caries among school children.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among 12- and 15-year-old government school children of Riyadh. A total of 2247 children were examined from 24 schools of Riyadh. Caries status (decayed, missing, and filled teeth [DMFT]) was recorded according to World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Survey 2013. Height and weight measurements were recorded after clinical examination. According to body mass index (BMI) percentiles, the children were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Chi-square test was used to find association between variables for categorical data. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) was calculated for continuous measurements and to find the difference between the groups unpaired t test/analysis of variance was used. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Dental caries prevalence was 83.7% and mean DMFT was 5.31 ± 3.88 in the study population. A statistically significant difference was found for mean decayed, mean filled teeth, and overall mean DMFT between 12 and 15 years old (P < 0.001), but not for mean missing teeth (P = 0.137). There was no association between BMI categories and mean DMFT for both the age groups.

Conclusion:

The dental caries was found to be high among the study subjects compared to WHO norms. Older children had higher DMFT values than the younger children and there was no association between dental caries and BMI.

Association between body mass index and dental caries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has one of the highest prevalence of both obesity and dental caries. To date, there has not been any documented evidence linking these two factors. Therefore, the objective was to conduct a systematic review of published studies that have analysed the association between body mass index and dental caries in the KSA for both children and adults.

METHODS

A systematic database search [PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Library] was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria were observational studies, with no limit on the publication date. Search terms included: dental caries, obesity, overweight, body mass index, BMI 'AND' Saudi Arabia. The independent variable was body mass index (BMI), and the primary outcome measure was dental caries prevalence and severity.

RESULTS

From 951 search results, 935 citations were identified and excluded. Of the 16 potentially eligible studies, two citations were excluded, because the studies did not meet the inclusion criteria. This left fourteen studies meeting the criteria to be included in this systematic review. Ten studies outlined children, and four studies assessed adults. For children, two studies resulted in a positive association between high BMI and caries, six studies resulted in a negative association, and two studies had a non-significant association. For adults, two studies resulted in a positive association between high BMI and dental caries, and two studies had a non-significant association. These were rated as having low to moderate risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

As a result of this equivocal outcome within the systematic review, body mass index and dental caries present as a complex association. Further long-term studies are required to translate the findings into clinical practice.

Differences in Lifestyle Behaviours of Students between Inner Urban and Peri-urban High Schools: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chongqing, China

Background: Lifestyle behaviours of students from schools in different socioeconomic areas may be different. Few studies have investigated such topics in China. This study aimed to explore the differences in lifestyle behaviours between inner urban high school students (IUHSSs) and peri-urban high school students (PUHSSs). Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on a self-report questionnaire was administered among 1560 high school students (726 from inner urban high schools and 834 from peri-urban high schools) in Chongqing, China. Physical activity, sleep time, screen time and dietary behaviours were assessed according to a series of recommendations of Chinese guidelines. Results: No significant difference was found in meeting the recommendation for daily physical activity between IUHSSs and PUHSSs (7.6% vs. 6.8%, p > 0.05). PUHSSs were more likely to meet the recommendations of weekdays’ sleep time (14.9% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001), weekdays’ and weekends’ screen time (85.4% vs. 76.7%, p < 0.001; 21.1% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.001), and had higher proportion of high-score group of dietary behaviours (58.6% vs. 36.4%, p < 0.001) than those of IUHSSs. IUHSSs were more likely to meet the recommendation of weekends’ sleep time (75.6% vs. 67.9%, p < 0.001) than that of PUHSSs. Conclusions: A low proportion met the recommendations of physical activity, weekdays’ sleep time and weekends’ screen time among high school students in Chongqing, China. Lifestyle behaviours may differ between inner urban and peri-urban high school students. Additional support or targeted health education should be provided by high schools to improve the lifestyle behaviours of students, especially in inner urban districts.

Assessing the Association between Dental Caries and Nutritional Status in Children from the Brazilian State of Amazonas

Aim

To evaluate the association between dental caries and nutritional status in a group of Brazilian schoolchildren, from Manaus. The studied population consisted of 197 students (10–12-year-olds) from public schools at Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

Materials and methods

A clinical examination was carried out and the decay-missing-filled-teeth index for primary and permanent teeth (dmft and DMFT) was used to evaluate dental caries. Body mass index Z-score was calculated using variables such as individual height, weight, age, and gender. The nutritional status was classified as underweight, eutrophic, overweight, and obese. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's posttests were used for means’ comparison between groups. The established alpha was 5%.

Results

Eighty-one (41.1%) children were caries-free. Five (2.5%) children were underweight; 127 (64.5%) were eutrophic; 49 (24.9%) were overweight; and 16 (8.1%) were obese. The mean dmft/DMFT index was 1.67 (2.05). Obese children had more caries experience than eutrophic and overweight children (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that dental caries is associated with obesity in school children from Manaus.

How to cite this article

Vasconcelos K, Evangelista S, et al. Assessing the Association between Dental Caries and Nutritional Status in Children from the Brazilian State of Amazonas. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(4):293–296.

Obesity and dental caries among South Brazilian schoolchildren: a 2.5-year longitudinal study

The aim of this study was to assess the association between weight status and ΔDMFS among 12-year-old schoolchildren from South Brazil. A total of 801 12-year-old schoolchildren were followed-up for 2.5 ± 0.3 years. Data collection included questionnaire, recording of anthropometric measures (height and weight), and caries examination. The outcome was the difference between DMFS (number of decayed, missing or filled surfaces) at follow-up and baseline (ΔDMFS). Weight status, based on body mass index-for-age Z-scores, was considered the main predictor variable. Negative binomial regression models were used to model the association, and rate ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated. A multivariable fractional polynomial model was used to further explore the relationship between obesity and dental caries. DMFS increased by 0.86 (95%CI = 0.65-1.07), 0.91 (95%CI = 0.59-1.23), and 0.42 (95%CI = 0.03-0.80) for normal weight, overweight, and obese schoolchildren, respectively. Obese adolescents had significantly lower ΔDMFS than normal weight ones (p < 0.05). No significant association between categories of weight status and ΔDMFS was found (overweight, IRR=0.92, 95%CI = 0.69-1.21, p = 0.54; obese IRR = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.51-1.12, p = 0.16). However, the multivariable fractional polynomial model showed an inverted U shaped relationship with a decreasing ΔDMFS with increasing BMI (p < 0.05). This population-based longitudinal study showed an inverse association between obesity and ΔDMFS over a 2.5-year period among South Brazilian adolescents.

Influence of body mass index on severity of dental caries: cross-sectional study in healthy adults

BACKGROUND

The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and dental caries is still undetermined.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the relationship between the dental status by decayed, missed, filled teeth index (DMFT), and BMI by age and gender among healthy adults.

DESIGN

Analytical, cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

University dental hospital in Riyadh.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Healthy adults aged between 18 and 35 years were recruited during the 10-month period from March 2015 to December 2015. Dental caries severity was estimated using the DMFT index.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The prevalence of overweight/obesity and the association of BMI category with the DMFT index.

RESULTS

The mean age of 502 subjects was 24.3 (4.9) years. The caries severity of the study population was considered moderate according to the WHO caries severity scale (mean [standard deviation] DMFT 13.3 [3.8]). The mean (SD) DMFT of male and female subjects was 13.1 (4.0) and 13.36 (3.7), respectively. No significant association was seen between dental caries and BMI. Logistic regression analysis showed that males had two times more risk of developing dental caries compared to females. In addition, the risk of caries development was increased by about 5 times for every year of age.

CONCLUSION

Dental caries was not associated with BMI but age significantly influenced the DMFT index and gender was associated with more missing teeth. Further longitudinal studies with larger cohorts from several geographic regions are warranted.

LIMITATION

Convenience sampling and recruitment from a single dental center may have some impact on the generalization of data.