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Diet as a risk factor for pneumococcal carriage and otitis media: a cross-sectional study among children in day care

Terhi Tapiainen1, Niko Paalanne1, Tuula Arkkola2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

Plos One
|March 7, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Children's diet impacts health. High sugar intake is linked to increased pneumococcal carriage and caries risk, while fruit consumption may decrease otitis media risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Childhood diet influences pharyngeal bacteria exposure to sugars.
  • Dietary carbohydrate intake may affect pneumococcal carriage and otitis media incidence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between dietary factors and pneumococcal carriage.
  • To explore the link between diet and the occurrence of otitis media in children.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 1006 children in day care centers.
  • Food frequency questionnaires and oropharyngeal swabs were used.
  • Principal component analysis identified nine dietary factors, adjusted for child and maternal characteristics.

Main Results:

  • High intake of sweet pastries/jam correlated with increased pneumococcal carriage risk (OR 1.17).
  • Frequent fruit/berry consumption associated with decreased acute otitis risk (coefficient -0.51).
  • High sweets/snacks intake linked to increased caries risk (OR 1.36).

Conclusions:

  • Dietary habits are associated with pneumococcal carriage and otitis media occurrence.
  • Diet represents a potentially modifiable risk factor for acute otitis media in children.
Abstract

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