Evaluation of the Relationship between Body Mass Index, Dental Caries, and Diet among a Group of 6-12 Years Old School Going Children

ABSTRACT

Aim:

These results are from research conducted on a sample of healthy school-aged children (ages 6–12) to determine whether or not there is a correlation between BMI, dental caries, and food.

Method:

About 500 kids are a part of the study. A stature meter was used to get the tallest possible measurement, and a small electronic scale was used to get the smallest possible weight. Body mass index was determined using the standard CDC growth charts (2000). The presence of caries was evaluated using an intraoral examination guided by WHO (1997) standards. For three days in a row, including the weekend, participants recorded what they ate and drank.

Result:

It was discovered that there is a huge gap in the body mass index (BMI) categories between sexes, with the vast majority of persons falling into the average weight category. The deft and DMFT caries scores of young men and women did not significantly differ across any of the BMI-for-age categories (P > 0.05). Consumption of supplements on a daily basis did not vary significantly between the BMI-for-age categories (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Pediatric dentists should play an active role in reducing this worldwide epidemic since pediatric obesity and dental caries have comparable causes and necessitate an all-encompassing, coordinated care strategy from interdisciplinary medical teams.

INTRODUCTION

In many areas of the globe, obesity has reached epidemic proportions.[1] The prevalence of obesity is rising not just in children and adolescents but increasingly in younger age groups.[2] The epidemic of childhood obesity is exacerbated by several aspects of modern culture. Today’s youth are less active than previous generations.[3] Increased rates of childhood obesity can be attributed to a number of factors, including an increase in the availability of sugary drinks and juices; an increase in the size of portions served over the past decade[4]; a decline in the frequency with which families eat together, leading to a lower intake of fruits and vegetables; an increased reliance on processed foods; a decline in physical activity due to the rising popularity of electronic media; and a lack of physical education facilities at many schools (playgrounds).

Given that food is a risk factor for both obesity and dental caries, this study aimed to investigate its association with both conditions in a group of children age ranging from 6 to 12 years old.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The purpose of this research, undertaken by the Division of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, was to assess the correlation between body mass index (BMI), dental caries, and dietary pattern in a sample of 500 school-aged children (half boys, half girls) in the United States. The research was able to take place at schools because permission was granted by those in charge. Following this, instructors were briefed on the study’s concept, and permission forms were sent through the schools to families. Teeth in children were checked for signs of dental caries. We used diet charts to determine our dietary habits.

Each kid was told to hold still until the scale reading steadied, so that their BMI could be calculated. The result of the test was written down. Using a wall-mounted stature meter, we were able to get an accurate measurement of everyone’s height to within 0.1 centimeter.

The following formula was used to determine a subject’s body mass index. BMI = kilograms/square meters.

The World Health Organization’s oral health evaluation form (1997)[5] was used to report caries status (deft and DMFT). by the use of a mouth mirror and a community periodontal index (CPI) probe.

When their child eats anything, parents are required to check off the relevant category and write the time of day in the log. The diet recording sheet was to be filled out by the parent or guardian for children less than nine years old, and by the kid himself or herself if the child was nine years old or more.

The information was tabulated and analyzed using Chi-square, Tukey’s HSD post hoc, Student’s t, and multiple linear regression (SPSS software version 11).

RESULTS

Table 1 portrays the demographic breakdown of the sample population by age, gender, and BMI.

Table 1.

Graph showing how the research group is broken down by their body mass index

Category	Male (n)	Female (n)	Total (n)
Underweight	60	40	100
Normal	150	100	250
Overweight	50	25	75
Obese	40	35	75
Total	300	200	500

Statistics show that there is a significant difference between the sexes when it comes to body mass index, with the largest proportion of both sexes falling into the “normal” (for their age) BMI range, followed by “underweight,” and finally “obesity.”

The mean caries scores of men and women with varying BMI for age groups are shown in Table 2. Caries (deft and DMFT) ratings were similar across sexes across all BMI-for-age groups (P > 0.05).

Table 2.

Caries prevalence among children and adolescents based on body mass index for age

Category	Deft		P	DMFT		P
	Male	Female		Male	Female
Underweight	2.15±3.125	1.20±2.040	0.452	0.75±0.940	0.80±1.00	0.510
Normal	1.45±1.800	2.05±2.450	0.130	0.85±1.101	0.85±1.130	0.450
Overweight	1.65±1.540	2.10±2.650	0.850	1.15±1.011	1.01±1.145	0.705
Obese	2.40±3.652	2.60±2.610	0.205	1.20±1.500	1.25±1.280	0.804

Table 3 displays how different body mass index (BMI) groups consume food on a regular basis. Other dietary consumption categories showed no statistically significant differences across BMI-for-age groups (P > 0.05).

Table 3.

Average daily calories consumed by weight-for-age groups

Category	Rice and cereal group	Meat and poultry group	Dairy group	Fat and oil group	Veg and fruit group	Snacks andconfectionaries
Underweight	1.20±0.800	0.60±0.520	0.75±0.500	0.80±0.531	0.75±0.501	1.10±0.791
Normal	1.41±0.740	0.75±0.621	0.85±0.574	0.85±0.650	0.80±0.540	1.55±0.750
Overweight	1.55±0.720	0.87±0.715	0.95±0.481	1.41±0.900	0.77±0.535	1.85±0.860
Obese	1.51±0.640	0.85±0.601	0.93±0.560	1.65±0.918	0.85±0.650	2.10±1.095

DISCUSSION

Clinical methods to help in the identification and treatment of childhood overweight/obesity has been delayed to be implemented by medical and dental practitioners despite several worrying results.[6-8] Dentists may play a role in resolving this problem as children can begin seeing a dentist as early as the age of one, and they can also aid in the process by providing dietary counseling and anticipatory guidance to parents. As the obesity pandemic worsens, it may no longer be practical to conduct screenings just at well-child checkups. While dentists may have a relatively little role in comparison to doctors, even a moderate amount of success may have far-reaching effects on a national scale.[9] It is well recognized in the literature that an imbalance in the child’s diet leads to dental caries,[10] and this is one of the many ways in which the child’s diet may contribute to obesity.

Our results are consistent with those of Sadeghi,[11] Ramachandran et al.,[12] and others who found no statistically significant link between BMI for age and gender. More importantly, the current study’s prevalence of overweight (17.25%) is in line with that of Ramachandran et al.[12] (16.8%). It is important to remember that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the global prevalence of overweight (including corpulence) in children and adolescents aged 5–17.

Overall, 78.6% of participants in this research had caries. Comparing these data to those of Willershausen (caries prevalence-63%), we discover that ours are somewhat higher. No statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) was seen between boys and females across any of the BMI-for-age groups in terms of caries experience. The current study found that the highest prevalence of caries was among children who were obese, followed by those who were underweight and those who were at a normal weight for their age. Although Mostafa Sageghi found that more children were affected by caries if they were overweight (86% vs. 72% vs. 62.8%), the current study found the opposite to be true for children whose body mass index was normal for their age.[11]

In the present study, researchers discovered no significant difference (P > 0.05) in caries scores between boys and girls in either the primary or permanent dentition at any of the examined BMI for age groups. Hilgers et al.[3] found results that were consistent.

A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for a child’s growth and development. It’s important to remember that a healthy diet needs to provide enough of each nutrient. Obese children ate more fatty foods than children of any other BMI for the age group, suggesting that these foods play a significant role in the development of obesity.

Being overweight and tooth decay have a common complexity and various causes. Diet analysis was done and we noticed that there are likely many more variables at play besides inactivity, poor nutrition, and a lack of physical exercise that contribute to childhood obesity, and these should be the focus of future research. It is essential that pediatric dentists, as part of the pediatric health team, be aware of this pandemic and take part in evaluating and preventing juvenile obesity.

CONCLUSION

This study’s findings suggest that healthcare providers who work with children, particularly dentists, should have a greater need to educate their patients and their families about the link between obesity, dental caries, poor eating habits, and the development of cardiovascular disease. It is important to emphasize the value of nutrition counseling here.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.