title: Content analysis of nutritional information in paediatric oral health education leaflets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine if paediatric oral health education leaflets with a food and nutritional focus provide messages that are clear and consistent with the current Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Infant Feeding Guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three leaflets aimed at parents were sourced from Australian state and territory Health Departments, oral health industry partners and commercial organisations, and a content analysis was performed. Recommendations on food and drink type, consumption frequency and general diet and nutrition advice were considered and cross-referenced with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Infant Feeding Guidelines to identify areas of consistency and discrepancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty leaflets recommended reducing the consumption of sugary and/or acidic food, while 23 leaflets recommended reducing the consumption of sugary and/or acidic drinks. The majority of the leaflets advised water (n = 35) and milk (n = 23) to drink. Although 33 leaflets encouraged a healthy diet, seven of these did not specify what a healthy diet was. Twenty-eight leaflets provided early childhood-related (0-2 years) feeding advice. Confusing messages were found in nine leaflets, with ambiguous recommendations that were open to individual interpretation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were some inconsistencies between the leaflets and the dietary and infant feeding guidelines in Australia; and across the leaflets, as not all important messages were included in any one leaflet. Government Health Departments and other relevant agencies should ensure that advisory messages regarding diet, particularly those with dental implications, are clear, complete and consistent across all dental educational leaflets.
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia. a.arora@westernsydney.edu.au.|Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia. a.arora@westernsydney.edu.au.|Oral Health Service, Sydney Local Health District and Sydney Dental Hospital, NSW Health, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia. a.arora@westernsydney.edu.au.|COHORTE Research Group, Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia. a.arora@westernsydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Jessamine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Kolt
authors.affiliation: Oral Health Service, Sydney Local Health District and Sydney Dental Hospital, NSW Health, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia.|Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhole
authors.affiliation: Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, UNSW Australia, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark Fort
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Cancer Australia, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hector
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care
keywords: Children; Content analysis; Health education; Leaflets; Nutrition; Oral health