title: Is dental caries experience associated with adiposity status in preschool children?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date, research on the relationship between dental caries experience and adiposity status is debated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine associations between dental caries experience and adiposity status among a community sample of preschool children in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among a random sample of 5-year-old children, clinical assessment for dental caries was conducted using WHO criteria. Anthropometric measurements for body weight, body height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness (TRSKF) were performed to assess general adiposity, central adiposity, and peripheral adiposity. Associations between adiposity status and caries were examined in regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 83.1% (324/390). Regression analyses (adjusted for tooth brushing habits, snacking habits, and socio-demographic factors) identified that weight/height ratio z-score was associated with caries experience: prevalence of dental caries experience (dmft > 0), OR 1.41 (95% CI 1.04, 1.91), and 'very high' caries experience (dmft ≥ SiC(10) Index value), OR 1.62, (95% CI 1.05, 2.50). In addition, WC z-score was associated with 'very high' caries experience (dmft ≥ SiC(10) Index value), OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.06, 2.81.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a Hong Kong community sample of preschool children, dental caries experience was associated with general adiposity (as assessed by weight/height ratio) and central adiposity (as assessed by WC).
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Si-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Hai Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Nigel M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Colman
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans