Relationship between overall and abdominal obesity and periodontal disease among young adults.

To assess overall and abdominal obesity and their relation to periodontal disease among young adults, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were measured and clinical attachment loss (CAL), gingival index (GI) and Community Periodontal Index (CPI) were estimated. The sample comprised 380 adults (170 males and 210 females) aged 20-26 years. There was a significant correlation between both BMI and WC and CAL, GI and CPI in females. In males, a significant correlation was only recorded between WC and GI and CPI. Overall and abdominal obesity in young adult females and abdominal obesity in males were significantly associated with periodontal disease.