title: The relationship between body mass index and periodontitis among postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Periodontitis and overweight/obesity prevalence are both increasing worldwide. Overweight/obesity has been suggested as a risk factor for developing periodontitis. The aim of this study was to determine the association between obesity and periodontitis among postmenopausal Jordanian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional associations between obesity and periodontitis were examined in 400 postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years. All women completed a questionnaire, had a clinical periodontal examination and had their weight and height recorded. Multivariable analysis was carried out using logistic regression with adjustment for possible confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on body mass index (BMI), 23.5% of the women were considered overweight and 70% were obese. Obese participants with BMI≥25 had decreased odds (OR) for having periodontitis compared to participants with normal weight (OR: 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27-0.87). The obese patients showed significantly higher loss of clinical attachment (CAL), calculus, as well as plaque and gingival index and as compared to normal and overweight (p<0.01). The extent of periodontal disease was also significantly higher in obese women as measured by average percent of sites with the deepest CAL≥5 mm (p=0.025). There was no significant difference in mean and percentage of sites with alveolar crestal bone loss (ACH) among different categories of obesity. In conclusion, BMI may be inversely associated with prevalence of periodontitis but positively related to the severity of periodontitis assessed by several periodontal parameters such as CAL, recession, plaque, and calculus. Additional prospective studies to further quantify, or understand the mechanisms, of this association are merited.
authors.affiliation: Preventive Department, College of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. Electronic address: rolaperio@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rola
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Al Habashneh
authors.affiliation: Preventive Department, College of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: Wesam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Azar
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery, College of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaweesh
authors.affiliation: Medical Education and Biostatistics, Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Khader
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Obesity; Osteoporosis; Periodontitis; Postmenopause