title: Association between Body Mass Index and Dental Caries among Anganwadi Children of Belgaum City, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body mass index (BMI) is an index that measures height for weight, which is commonly used to categorize underweight, overweight, and obese individuals. Deviation from normal weight results from an imbalance between caloric consumption and energy expenditure. Childhood obesity and childhood dental caries are coincidental in many populations, probably due to common confounding risk factors, such as intake frequency, cariogenic diet, and poor oral hygiene. So the aim of the present study was to assess the BMI status and to corelate between dental caries and BMI among the Anganwadi children of Belgaum city, Karnataka, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and thirty three children from 20 Anganwadi's belonging to the age group of 2 to 6 years of both sexes were measured for BMI and dental caries status. The caries index was measured as the number of decayed (d) and filled (f) teeth (t) (dft). The BMI in units of kg/m2was determined and children were categorized according to age-and gender-specific criteria as underweight (<5th percentile), normal (5th-85th percentile), at risk for overweight (85th- 95th percentile), and overweight (>95th percentile). The data were subjected to statistical analysis using Student's t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient test with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of subjects in Centre for Disease Control (CDC) weight categories was: 5% underweight, 79% normal, 9% under the risk for overweight, and 6% overweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant association was found between children with normal BMI and those who were underweight, overweight, and under the risk for overweight. Children with overweight/obese or underweight/malnourished children had higher decayed and filled surfaces compared to children with normal weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutritional status has a profound effect on dental caries. Both underweight/malnutrition and overweight/ obesity have significant adverse implications for health. Childhood obesity and childhood dental caries are coincidental in many populations.
authors: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mar Baselios Dental College, Ernakulam, Kerala, India, Phone: +919496097570, e-mail: draluckal@gmail.com.
authors: Eby
authors: E
authors: Aluckal
authors: Department of Public Health Dentistry, St. Gregorios Dental College, Kothamangalam, Kerala, India.
authors: Ksa
authors: K
authors: Anzil
authors: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Mar Baselios Dental College, Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
authors: Mathews
authors: M
authors: Baby
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Annoor Dental College and Hospital, Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
authors: Eldhose K
authors: EK
authors: George
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Annoor Dental College and Hospital, Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
authors: Sanju
authors: S
authors: Lakshmanan
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Annoor Dental College and Hospital, Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
authors: Shilpa
authors: S
authors: Chikkanna
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Body mass index; Dental caries; Malnutrition Obesity.