Changes in body weight and adiposity predict periodontitis progression in men.
Most studies linking obesity and periodontal disease have been cross-sectional in design. We examined whether gains in body weight, waist circumference, and arm fat area are associated with periodontitis progression in 893 non-diabetic men followed for up to four decades in the prospective VA Dental Longitudinal Study. Probing pocket depth (PPD) was measured by calibrated examiners. Repeated-measures generalized linear models estimated the mean cumulative numbers of teeth with PPD events (PPD > 3 mm) at each dental examination and the slopes associated with increasing numbers of affected teeth over time. Means were adjusted for baseline PPD, education, and cigarette pack-years, and time-dependent values of age, mean plaque score, cigarette packs/day, brushing, and flossing. Men who were overweight at baseline and gained weight most rapidly (> 0.19 kg/yr or ~15 lb during follow-up) had significantly more PPD events than men in the lowest tertile of weight gain (≤ -0.05 kg/yr). Overweight men whose waist circumference increased > 0.14-0.39 or > 0.39 cm/yr experienced more PPD events than men in the lowest tertile (≤ 0.14 cm/yr). Increase in arm fat area was associated with disease progression in normal-weight men. These results suggest that tracking adiposity changes with easily obtained anthropometric measures may help predict risk of periodontitis progression.
Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA. agorman@Lifespan.org
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Gorman
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Kaye
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Nunn
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Garcia
D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015430:Weight Gain