Open AccessHealthy Eating Index Is a Predictor of Early Childhood Caries
Author(s) -
Martha E. Nunn,
Nadine Braunstein,
Elizabeth Krall Kaye,
Thomas Dietrich,
Raúl I. García,
Michelle Henshaw
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of dental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1544-0591
pISSN - 0022-0345
DOI - 10.1177/0022034509334043
Subject(s) - early childhood caries , medicine , national health and nutrition examination survey , logistic regression , odds ratio , ethnic group , healthy eating , early childhood , odds , confidence interval , demography , low income , gerontology , environmental health , oral health , dentistry , physical activity , psychology , physical therapy , population , developmental psychology , socioeconomics , sociology , anthropology
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable form of dental caries that affects very young children, particularly among low-income families and certain racial/ethnic minorities. The current study examined the relationship of dietary quality, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), to the prevalence of ECC in 2- to 5-year-old children. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were used for the study. We used logistic regression to compute adjusted odds ratios (OR) for ECC and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Children with the best dietary practices (uppermost tertile of the HEI) were 44% less likely to exhibit severe ECC compared with children with the worst dietary practices (lowest tertile of the HEI). A healthy eating pattern geared for promotion of optimal child development and prevention of chronic disease in later life may also reduce the risk of early childhood caries, particularly severe early childhood caries.