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. 2022 Sep 29;26(1):23–32. doi: 10.1017/S1368980022002166

Table 1.

Characteristics of the 5–17-year-old child sample compared by their household food security status (n 23 261)

Characteristics Total sample (n 23 261) Food secure (n 12 832) Food insecure (n 5293)
Weighted % or mean se Weighted % or mean se Weighted % or mean se
Child gender
 Male 51·1 77·8 22·2
 Female 48·9 76·9 23·1
Child age (years) 10·6 0·03 10·6 0·04 10·6 0·06
Child ethnicity
 Mestizo (ethnic majority group) 82·1 81·0 19·0*
 Ethnic minority (Indigenous, Afro-descendant) 17·9 60·5 39·5
Maternal education
 Primary school or less 51·4 70·6 29·4*
 Secondary school or greater 48·6 84·5 15·5
Low household assets
 Yes 54·0 78·0 22·0**
 No 46·0 76·6 23·4
Residence location
 Urban area 61·0 81·2 18·8*
 Rural area 39·0 71·2 28·8
Region
 Andean highland region 29·9 80·9 19·1*
 Pacific coastal plain region 32·8 78·4 21·6
 Amazonian region 32·1 69·9 30·1
 Insular (Galapagos Islands) region 5·2 96·1 3·9
Any oral health problems 38·5 36·4 45·6
Any oral health care visits in past 12 months 53·9 55·1 49·6*
Brushes teeth > 2 times/d 75·5 77·5 68·6
Uses toothpaste when brushing teeth 98·5 98·6 98·2
Highly fermentable carbohydrate food intake frequency§ 1·5 0·01 1·6 0·01 1·4 0·02*
Processed snack foods intake frequency 1·6 0·02 1·7 0·02 1·5 0·03*
Fast food intake frequency 2·0 0·02 2·1 0·02 1·8 0·03*
Sweetened beverages intake frequency†† 1·0 0·01 1·0 0·01 0·9 0·02*
Plain water intake‡‡ 3·8 0·02 4·0 0·02 2·6 0·04*
*

P = 0·0001.

**

P = 0·001.

Survey did not provide information on reason(s) for the visit so it is uncertain whether it was for a routine check-up, dental cleaning or other prophylaxis (e.g. topical fluoride application), or treatment of caries, extractions or other existing disease.

Survey did not collect data on whether toothpaste contained fluoride or not.

§

Days that child consumed any sweetened beverages, processed or fast foods during past week.

Days child consumed any processed snack foods such as cookies, crackers, candies, chocolates, corn-based snacks, potato chips and other processed foods during past week.

Days child consumed any fast foods such as French fries, hamburgers, tacos, hot dogs, pizza, French fries with pieces of hot dogs, sausages, other toppings) purchased from fast food establishments during the past week.

††

Days child consumed sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, energy drinks, or processed fruit juice during past week.

‡‡

Number of glasses/d child consumed plain water without any colorants, sweeteners or flavours during past week.