Anne Foster Reeves, BS, Maternal and Child Training Program, Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Box 357230, Seattle, WA 98195, 206-399-2804, amfoster@u.washington.edu, Jane Rees, MS, RD, Department of Pediatrics and Health Services, University of Washington, 357230, Seattle, WA 98195, Melissa Schiff, MPH, MD, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washigton, 357230, Seattle, WA 98195, and Philippe Hujoel, PhD, Department of Dental Public Health, University of Washington, 357475, Seattle, WA 98195.

The Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health and, A National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health, recommends population based research to investigate potential associations between systemic conditions and oral health. No studies have yet examined the associations between early onset obesity and periodontitis. Early onset obesity may affect periodontal health through alterations in lipid metabolism, poor diet, and increased stress levels. We used a subset of data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) to evaluate the association between obesity and chronic periodontitis. We evaluated 3,466 subjects, ages 13 to 21 years who received a periodontal examination and had complete information on age and gender. Obesity was measured using body mass index (BMI), skinfold measurements and waist circumference. Adolescents with a BMI ³95th percentile for age and gender were classified as overweight, those whose BMI is 85th -95th percentile were classified as at risk for overweight. Chronic periodontitis was defined by the loss of attached gum tissue (AL) on one or more teeth ³3 mm, and the presence of ³1 periodontal probing depth ³3 mm. We will present results of multivariate analyses testing for the association between obesity and chronic periodontitis, controlling for race, socioeconomic status, gender, history of dental treatment, and cotinine levels. This investigation has the potential to further elucidate the etiological role of obesity in periodontitis, and to influence policies and interventions addressing obesity and oral health.

Learning Objectives:

After this presentation, participants will be able to (
• describe the analyses used to test the associations between adolescent obesity and periodontitis, and (
• apply the methods, results and conclusions of this investigation to discuss the role of dental epidemiological research in public health policies and interventions.

Keywords: Obesity, Oral Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.