Inequalities in the frequency of free sugars intake among Syrian 1-year-old infants: a cross-sectional study.
High frequency of free sugars intake, during the first year of life is probably the greatest risk factor for early childhood caries. The latter is a global public health challenge. Very little is known about the social determinants of infant's frequency of free sugars intake, particularly in low-income countries. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the association between the frequency of free sugars intake among 1-year-old Syrian infants and each of parents' socioeconomic position (SEP), maternal frequency of free sugars intake and knowledge of infant's oral health behaviour.



Using a cross-sectional design, 323 1-year-old infants, attending vaccination clinics in 3 maternal and child health centres (MCHCs) in Damascus, Syria, were selected. A systematic random sampling was applied using the MCHCs' monthly vaccination registries. The 3 MCHCs were located in affluent, moderate and deprived areas. Infants' mothers completed a structured questionnaire on socio-demographics, infant's and mother's frequency of free sugars intake from cariogenic foods and beverages, and mother's knowledge about infant's oral health behaviour. Binary and multiple regression analyses were performed. The level of significance was set at 5 %.



The response rate was 100 %. Overall, 42.7 % of infants had high frequency of free sugars intake (>4times a day). Infants whose fathers were not working were more likely to have high frequency of free sugars intake. Similarly, infants whose mothers had low level of knowledge about infant's oral health behaviour, or high frequency of free sugars intake were more likely to have high frequency of free sugars intake. The association between father's occupation and infant's frequency of free sugars intake attenuated after adjustment for mother's knowledge and frequency of free sugars intake (adjusted OR = 1.5, 1.8, 3.2; 95%CI = 0.5-4.8, 1.1-3, 1.4-7.4; respectively).



There are socioeconomic inequalities in the frequency of free sugars intake among Syrian 1-year-old infants. Integrated pre/post-natal interventions, targeting mothers from low SEP and aiming at reducing their free sugars intake and improving their knowledge about infant's oral health behaviour, will potentially reduce socioeconomic inequalities in infant's frequency of free sugars intake.
Population and Patient Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Denmark Hill Campus, Bessemer Road, London, SE5 9RS, UK. easter.joury@kcl.ac.uk.|Oral Medicine Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria. easter.joury@kcl.ac.uk.
Easter
E
Joury
Oral Medicine Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
May
M
Khairallah
Population and Patient Health, King's College London Dental Institute, Denmark Hill Campus, Bessemer Road, London, SE5 9RS, UK.
Wael
W
Sabbah
Eastman Dental Institute, University College London, London, WC1X 8LD, UK.
Kanaan
K
Elias
Centre for International Child Oral Health, King's College London, 26-29 Drury Lane, Rooms 329-331, London, WC2B 5RL, UK.
Raman
R
Bedi
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000073417:Dietary Sugars; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D012924:Social Conditions; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013593:Syria
D000073417:Dietary Sugars
Dietary sugars; Health behaviour; Health literacy; Infant; Social determinants of health; Socioeconomic factors; Syria