Caries and obesity in 6 year-old schoolchildren from the Metropolitan region (MR) of Santiago, Chile

Authors

  • Ismael Henry Yevenes Universidad de Chile
  • Gisela Zillmann Universidad de Chile
  • Andrea Muñoz Universidad de Chile
  • Viviana Mieres Araya Universidad de Chile
  • Lorena Coronado Universidad de Chile
  • José Manríquez Universidad de Chile
  • Fabiola Werlinger Universidad de Chile
  • Paula Maass Universidad de Chile
  • Renata Quintana Universidad de Chile

Keywords:

caries, obesity, nutritional status, children

Abstract

Purpose: Dental caries and obesity are multifactorial diseases of high prevalence in Chilean child population, and both are preventable from early age. They share association with diet habits and socio-cultural determinants. The objective of this study was to determine the coexistence between caries and obesity in 6 year-old schoolchildren from the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile. Methods: A sample was composed by 571 6 year-old schoolchildren from the fluoridated communes of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, in 2004-2005. Caries diagnosis was performed by using the WHO criteria for epidemiological studies. Nutritional diagnosis was carried out according to BMI/age and sex in relation to CDC-NCHS curves, considering obese children with a ≥95 percentile. Socioeconomic level (SEL) and sex were recorded. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between caries history and nutritional status (NS) (P=0.837), in both primary and permanent dentition (P=0.306).There was no risk association (OR 0.88; IC 0.60-1.28; 95%). Overweight children had less caries prevalence and history than normal weight and obese children. No relationship was found at the multivariate analysis between NS, SEL and caries occurrence. Conclusion: Obesity is not related to dental caries in this sample. Overweight children had less caries prevalence and severity.

Author Biography

Ismael Henry Yevenes, Universidad de Chile

Duímico-Farmacéutico, Profesor Responsable de los cursos de Química Básica y Química Oral de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Chile. Investigador en las áreas de caries, fluoruro y colutorios antiplaca. Investigador Responsable para proyectos del Ministerio de Salud de Chile en Caries y Fluorosis y Excreción Urinaria de Fluoruros.

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Published

2012-04-11

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Section

Original Article