title: The association between periodontal disease and obesity among adults in Jordan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between periodontitis and overweight/obesity among Jordanians.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic random sample of 340 persons aged between 18 and 70 years was selected from those who accompanied patients during their visit to the outpatient clinics in the medical centre of Jordan University of Science and Technology in north of Jordan. All participants underwent periodontal examination, had anthropometric measurements, and completed the questionnaire. Periodontitis was defined as presence of four or more teeth with one or more sites with probing pocket depth >or=4 mm and clinical attachment loss >or=3 mm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 14% of normal weight participants had periodontal disease whereas 29.6% of overweight and 51.9% of obese participants had periodontal disease. Periodontitis was more prevalent among subjects with high waist circumference (WC) and among subjects with high waist-to-hip ratio. After adjusting for important variables, only body mass index (BMI)-defined obesity [odds ratio (OR)=2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 6.1], high WC (OR=2.1, 95%CI: 1.2, 3.7), and high fat per cent (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.03, 3.3) remained significantly associated with increased odds of periodontitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMI-defined obesity, high WC, and high fat per cent were significantly associated with increased odds of having periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Community Medicine, and Family Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. yousef.k@excite.com
authors.forename: Yousef Saleh
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Khader
authors.forename: Hiba Ahmad
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bawadi
authors.forename: Touleen Fawzi
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Haroun
authors.forename: Mosa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alomari
authors.forename: Reema Fayez
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Tayyem
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult