KUMJ | VOL. 12 | NO. 1 | ISSUE 45 | JAN-MAR, 2014
Study on Relationship Between the Nutritional Status and Dental Caries in 8-12 Year Old Children of Udaipur City, India
Panwar NK, Mohan A, Arora R, Gupta A, Marya CM, Dhingra S
Abstract: Background
The future health of individuals depends on the well being of the children of
today. Proper nutrition for children is very important. The most commonly used
index of obesity and over weight is Body Mass Index. The growth of children
should be monitored using the Body Mass Index (BMI) and risk factors assessed
through a dietary and physical activity history. The increase in obesity is attributed
to increased carbohydrate consumption among children. Obesity and caries
are both diet-based conditions that share a cause that is, excessive ingestion of
fermentable carbohydrates.
Objective
This study was undertaken to determine the association of nutritional status with
dental caries in 8 to 12 year old children of Udaipur city.
Method
The present study was conducted on a random sample of 1000 boys and girls,
aged 8-12 years. The children were selected from schools located in the Udaipur
City, Rajasthan. The schools examined were of government and private sector
schools in Udaipur city. The children from schools of Udaipur city was taken in the
study with male, female and age group ratio as per distribution in population. A
proforma was used to record children’s age, gender, school, year, height, weight,
parental income and dental caries status. Statistical analysis was done using
Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS Version 15; Chicago Inc., USA).
Result
It was found that caries free individuals were more from normal nutritional status
group with 134 (13.4 %) subjects where as only 11 (1.1 %) of subjects obese
children were found caries free.
Conclusion
Study shows that the children with normal BMI for age had more caries in their
primary teeth, as well as in their permanent teeth, than the overweight children.
Keyword : Body Mass Index, dental caries, nutritional status
