ABSTRACT: 0558

Exploring the Relationship between Obesity and Dental Caries in Children

H. HITIMANA¹, H. HITIMANA², S.D. TRAN¹, M. LAMBERT³, J. O'LOUGHLIN⁴, C. CARON⁵, A. TREMBLAY⁶, B. NICOLAU¹, and B. NICOLAU², ¹Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, ²INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, University of Quebec, Laval, Canada, ³Université de Montréal and CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Canada, ⁴Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, INSPQ, CRCHUM, Montreal, Canada, ⁵Faculty of Dentistry, Laval University, Quebec, Canada, ⁶Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
Although several studies suggest an association between obesity and dental caries, the evidence is limited. Objective: To investigate the association between obesity and dental caries in Quebec children. Methods: A total of 279 children aged 8-10 years participating in the baseline wave of the Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth (Quality cohort) study in Montreal and Quebec City were studied. Inclusion criteria were that both biological parents were available to participate, and at least one was obese. Height and weight were measured using standardized procedures. Body mass index (BMI) was computed as weight/height². This sex and age-specific BMI was categorized into normal weight (<85th percentile), overweight (85th-95th percentile) and obese (≥95th percentile); defined by the 2000 US-CDC growth charts. The presence of dental caries was measured by the Decayed, Missing and Filled Surface (DMF-S) index, based on criteria used by the Children's Dental Health Survey, United Kingdom. This index was further categorized into presence and absence of caries (caries-free). Interviews conducted with the child and their parents, collected data on oral health behaviour, diet, and socio-demographic factors. Results: Logistic regression analyses assessed the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for BMI in relation to caries-free, adjusting for socioeconomic factors and health-related behaviours. Using normal weight as a reference, the OR of having caries in girls who were overweight and obese were 3.46 (95% CI=1.1-11.0) and 1.64 (95% CI=0.9-4.8), respectively. Among boys, BMI category and caries-free were not associated. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence of a link between dental caries experience and obesity in children specifically among girls, although this needs to be explored in further studies. This study is funded by Fonds de Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ). The Quality cohort is funded by CIHR and HSFC.
Seq #82 - Caries Research - Epidemiology, Access, Utilization 2:00 PM-3:15 PM, Thursday, July 3, 2008 Metro Toronto Convention Centre Exhibit Hall D-E
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