Calories, Caries & Culture: The Relationship of Body Mass Index and Oral Health Status in 3rd Grade School Children

BACKGROUND:   This analysis is to investigate the association between percentile ranked body mass index (BMI), and oral health outcomes measured by the basic screening survey (BSS) including caries experience, sealant prevalence, and treatment urgency in 3rd grade Minnesota school children. 

METHODS:   The Minnesota Department of Health included measures for BMI calculation from height and weight data collected when conducting a statewide BSS that measured caries experience, sealant prevalence, and treatment urgency. Demographic information collected included date of birth, gender, and race/ethnicity.  School-based measures were also obtained, including urban/rural and proportion of children eligible for free and reduced lunch pricing.  Populations were a representative, state-wide, sample of 3rd grade Minnesota school children, and a sentinel population selected from notably high risk students (high proportions of recent immigrants, minority status, and free and reduced lunches)   Participants were actively consented from 40 randomly selected schools and 10 sentinel schools, all within Minnesota.

RESULTS:   Preliminary results indicate that caries status, lack of sealants, unhealthy weight (over/under-weight) and attendance at a school with a high proportion of free and reduced lunches are positively correlated.

CONCLUSIONS:   Detected inequities should be addressed by targeted prevention/intervention activities with progress measured by similar surveys done at five year intervals. Prevention and intervention activities may differ depending on the type of disparity being addressed (e.g., regional vs. racial differences). The data indicate a need to further assess dietary intake along with oral health status.  Dietary intake indicators alone may help in determining patterns of eating associated with risk for dental disease.