title: Poor oral hygiene and gingivitis are associated with obesity and overweight status in paediatric subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The association between obesity and periodontitis has been extensively investigated in adults but not in young people. Our aim is to evaluate whether overweight/obese paediatric patients have a greater chance of being affected by gingivitis than those of normal weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight subjects ranging between 10 and 17 years of age were classified as obese/overweight or normal weight on the basis of body mass index. Auxological data, blood pressure, insulin resistance, psychological profile, oral hygiene habits, plaque and gingival indices were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were significantly higher in overweight/obese subjects than in the normal-weight subjects (p<0001). The overweight/obese subjects showed a worse attitude towards oral hygiene. Two-way anova revealed a significant effect of obesity status (p<0001) on the gingival index. Logistic and linear regression analyses identified gingivitis as dependent on insulin resistance and bad oral hygiene rather than on the overweight/obese status simply defined. Negative psychological features related to physical and academic self-concept were also risk factors for gingivitis probably because they were related to a generic poor self-awareness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gingivitis observed in overweight and obese young subjects is probably due to a combination of metabolic and inflammatory profiles and neglected attitude towards oral hygiene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Universitá del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro, Novara, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petri
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Migliario
authors.forename: Lia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rimondini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D009341:Negativism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000523:psychology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires