Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan1, Ayodeji Babatunde Oginni2, Maha El Tantawi3, Micheal Alade4, Abiola A Adeniyi5, Tracy L Finlayson6. 1. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. 2. Innovative Aid, Abuja, Nigeria. 3. Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. 4. Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Nigeria. 5. Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals' Complex, Ife, Nigeria. 6. School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is associated with oral health problems. AIM: To determine the association between malnutrition (undernourished and over-nourished) and early childhood caries (ECC) in a suburban population in Nigeria. DESIGN: Data were extracted from a database of a household survey of 1549 under 6-year-old children. Explanatory variables were nutritional status (normal, undernourished [wasted, stunted and underweight], or over-nourished). The outcome measure was the prevalence of ECC. Children's sociodemographic characteristics (socio-economic status, sex, age) and caries-risk variables (frequency of sugar consumption in-between-meals, oral hygiene status) were the confounders. Association between ECC and malnutrition was determined using the Poisson regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. RESULTS: About one-third (31.4%) of children had expected height/weight for age; 848 (54.7%) were undernourished; and 215 (13.9%) were over-nourished. Nutritional status was not significantly associated with the prevalence of ECC. Children who consumed sugar in-between-meals three or more times a day were twice as likely to have ECC as were those who consumed sugar less often in-between-meals (APR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.30-3.81; P = .003). Children 3-5 years old were more likely to have ECC than were those 0-2 years old (APR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.10-5.22; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: ECC was not associated with undernourished and over-nourished in a suburban population in Nigeria.
BACKGROUND:Malnutrition is associated with oral health problems. AIM: To determine the association between malnutrition (undernourished and over-nourished) and early childhood caries (ECC) in a suburban population in Nigeria. DESIGN: Data were extracted from a database of a household survey of 1549 under 6-year-old children. Explanatory variables were nutritional status (normal, undernourished [wasted, stunted and underweight], or over-nourished). The outcome measure was the prevalence of ECC. Children's sociodemographic characteristics (socio-economic status, sex, age) and caries-risk variables (frequency of sugar consumption in-between-meals, oral hygiene status) were the confounders. Association between ECC and malnutrition was determined using the Poisson regression analysis. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ .05. RESULTS: About one-third (31.4%) of children had expected height/weight for age; 848 (54.7%) were undernourished; and 215 (13.9%) were over-nourished. Nutritional status was not significantly associated with the prevalence of ECC. Children who consumed sugar in-between-meals three or more times a day were twice as likely to have ECC as were those who consumed sugar less often in-between-meals (APR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.30-3.81; P = .003). Children 3-5 years old were more likely to have ECC than were those 0-2 years old (APR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.10-5.22; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: ECC was not associated with undernourished and over-nourished in a suburban population in Nigeria.
Authors: Michael Alade; Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan; Maha El Tantawi; Ayodeji Babatunde Oginni; Abiola A Adeniyi; Tracy L Finlayson Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2021-05-04 Impact factor: 2.757