Possible link between preschoolers’ cavities and excess body fat
By ANIWednesday, June 23, 2010
Washington, June 23 (ANI): A new study has indicated that there may be a possible link between dental problems and increasing obesity amongst children.
“Dental decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood, and obesity in youth is a growing problem,” said the study’s lead author, Kathleen Bethin.
The study included examining the relationship between poor dental health and overweight in 65 children who were 2 to 5 years old. Each child’s height and weight were measured before the procedure to calculate the body mass index, or BMI, which indicates the amount of body fat.
Almost 28 percent of the children were overweight or obese compared with an estimated 21.2 percent in the general U.S. population. Seventy-one percent of children consumed more than 1,200 calories per day although the daily recommended caloric intake ranges from 1,000 to 1,400 calories depending on age and gender of the child. Of the 65 children, 47 were a healthy weight, having a BMI in the fifth to 84th percentile for their age.
“Further analysis is needed to explore whether consumption of juice and sweets accounts for the excessive calorie intake and links high BMI and dental decay,” Bethin said.
The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. (ANI)
