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Healthy eating index is a predictor of early childhood caries

M E Nunn1, N S Braunstein, E A Krall Kaye

  • 1Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, 715 Albany, 560, Boston, MA 02118, USA. nunn@bu.edu

Journal of Dental Research
|May 2, 2009
PubMed

Insights

A healthy diet significantly reduces the risk of early childhood caries (ECC) in young children. Children with the best diets were 44% less likely to develop severe ECC.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dentistry
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Early childhood caries (ECC) is a prevalent, preventable oral disease affecting young children.
  • ECC disproportionately impacts low-income families and minority groups.
  • Dietary patterns are suspected contributors to ECC development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between dietary quality, assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and the prevalence of ECC.
  • To determine if a higher HEI score correlates with a lower risk of ECC in children aged 2-5 years.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III).
  • Employed logistic regression analysis to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
  • Categorized children into tertiles based on their HEI scores to compare dietary quality.

Main Results:

  • Children in the highest tertile of the HEI (best dietary practices) showed a 44% reduced likelihood of severe ECC compared to those in the lowest tertile.
  • A statistically significant inverse relationship was observed between dietary quality and ECC prevalence.

Conclusions:

  • Higher dietary quality, as measured by the HEI, is associated with a lower risk of early childhood caries, including severe forms.
  • Promoting healthy eating patterns in early childhood may serve as a strategy for ECC prevention.
  • Findings suggest a link between overall healthy eating and reduced risk of severe ECC.

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