Association between childhood obesity and oral hygiene status

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the oral hygiene status in pediatric obese patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2011 to 2012, which evaluated 180 Brazilian pediatric patients, 6-14 years old, girls and boys, recruited according to two Body Mass Index (BMI) categories: obese and non-obese (healthy weight). For the evaluation the oral hygiene status, the study used Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) and Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI). Results: According to the total sample, 5/60 obese (8.3%) and 57/120 non-obese (47.5%) had good OHI, while 23/60 obese (38.4%) and 3/120 non-obese (2.5%) were classified in a low level of OHI, with a significance between the groups (p < 0.001), even after sorting by age. According to the classification of GBI, 60/60 obese (100.0%) and 89/120 non-obese (74.2%) had GBI 1 (bleeding gingiva), and 0/60 obese and 31/120 non-obese (25.8%) were classified as GBI 0 (healthy gingiva), with a significance between the groups (p < 0.001), even after sorting by age. Conclusions: This study indicated that OHI and GBI were significantly higher in the obese children group.

Effect of a weight loss program in obese adolescents: a long-term follow-up

Objectives: Obesity during adolescence is an increasing health problem in industrial countries. The comorbidities associated with obesity include important metabolic diseases. Methods: To analyze the effect of a weight-loss program, we recruited 12 obese, male adolescents before entering this program. We determined body weight measures at baseline, 6-week and 36-month follow-up. Also, the long-term changes of blood pressure, HbAlc, and CRP were evaluated. Twenty healthy age-matched adolescents served as controls. Results: Within the intervention group ((body mass index [BMI, kg/m²] > 95th percentile for age and sex, age 13-17 years) the BMI and BMI-standard deviation score [SDS] were significantly reduced in the 6-week follow-up after completing the weight loss program. However, the significant weight-reduction effect was not persistent until the 36-month follow-up. Conclusion: The 6-week weight-loss program had beneficial short-term effects on body weight, BMI, and BMI-SDS in obese adolescents, but these effects could not be maintained until the 36-month follow-up.