Assessing the Oral Health and Obesity Status of Third Grade Children in Illinois: Healthy People 2020 Progress

Healthy Smile Healthy Growth (HSHG) is primary data collection and surveillance study of third grade children that occurs throughout the state of Illinois every five years. It was started in the 2003-2004 school-year (HSHG I) and followed by HSHG II in 2008-2009, and HSHG III in the 2013-2014 school-year.  As a result of this surveillance effort, two very important health issues affecting children in the state have been brought to the forefront: dental caries and obesity.

Significant resources, including financial and strategic resources, have been allocated to children’s oral health care needs and the reduction of obesity in the past decade. Results from the 2013-2014 study will help to determine the effectiveness of current programmatic activities to reduce the burden of these two important diseases and to develop future data driven strategies to improve the general well-being of Illinois children. Information from HSHG III will be incorporated into the National Oral Health Surveillance System to monitor Illinois progress toward meeting Healthy People 2020 Objectives.  This session will report on the results from HSHG III and will compare those results with previous assessments.