Association Between Periodontal Status And Adiposity Status Among 12-year-old Children

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the association between periodontal status and adiposity status among 12-year-old children in a population-based study. Methods: A random sample of 668, 12-year-old students from 18 districts in Hong Kong SAR, China was recruited. The examination procedures, instruments and diagnostic criteria of periodontal status (community periodontal index, CPI) followed the recommendation of WHO (1997). Children with CPI > 0 were defined as ‘unhealthy’ periodontal status. Anthropometric measurement of body height, body weight, waist circumference (WC), and triceps skinfold thickness (TRSKF) were performed to assess the adiposity statuses [body mass index (BMI = weight ÷ height2) for general adiposity; WC for central adiposity; and TRSKF for peripheral adiposity]. The relationships between periodontal status and BMI, WC, TRSKF were examined in bivariate and multivariate regression analyses.

Results: The response rate was 76.9% (n = 514/668). An ‘unhealthy’ periodontal status (CPI score > 0) was recorded for 85.0% (n = 437) of the students and logistic regression analyses identified that BMI was associated with ‘unhealthy’ periodontal status (OR = 1.08, 95% CI =1.00 ` 1.16, P = 0.050). Likewise WC was associated with ‘unhealthy’ periodontal status (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01 1.07, P = 0.021). TRSKR was not significantly associated with periodontal status (P > 0.05). After adjustment for socio-demographic factors, only WC remained significantly associated with ‘unhealthy’ periodontal status (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00 1.07, P = 0.025).

Conclusions: Among this population-based sample of 12-year-old children in Hong Kong, periodontal status was associated with central obesity as assessed by WC.

This abstract is based on research that was funded entirely or partially by an outside source: the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China [Project No. 782811]