Índice de massa corporal, padrão alimentar e ferramentas para avaliação desse padrão em pacientes odontopediátricos da Faculdade de Odontologia da UFMG

Abstract

Dietary patterns are an important risk factor for the development of several conditions that may compromise children's oral and general health, such as dental caries, erosive tooth wear, overweight, and obesity. Considering this relevance, the aim of this study was to assess the dietary pattern and body mass index (BMI) of patients treated in the mandatory clinical disciplines of the Department of Child and Adolescent Oral Health (SCA) at the School of Dentistry of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (FAO UFMG), as well as to analyze the tools used for dietary assessment and their proper application and documentation by students. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of UFMG (CAAE: 79640924.4.0000.5149). It is a retrospective cross-sectional study based on the analysis of 773 dental records of children aged 1 to 14 years, treated between 2022 and 2024. Sociodemographic data were collected, including parental education level, household income, number of household residents, and the child’s sex, age, and race/ethnicity, as well as data related to BMI. Dietary patterns were assessed based on the daily consumption of potentially cariogenic and/or erosive foods, using information from a food frequency questionnaire. The presence and analysis of food diaries, as well as the documentation of dietary counseling in the dental records by students, were also evaluated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22.0), employing descriptive statistics and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk normality tests. Subsequently, the Mann- Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests were applied, adopting a 5% significance level. The children's dietary patterns revealed a high frequency of daily consumption of potentially cariogenic (3.61 [± 1.97]) and erosive (2.87 [± 1.55]) foods. Lower family income (p=0.028) and lower paternal education level (p=0.011) were associated with higher daily sugar consumption. The mean BMI was 17.16 [± 3.54], showing a positive correlation with the child's age. The use of food diaries was low (13.7%), and among those included in the records, only 30.8% had been analyzed. Dietary counseling was recorded in only 4.8% of the dental records. The results indicate a high frequency of consumption of cariogenic and erosive foods among the children treated. An association between sugar consumption and socioeconomic factors was observed, highlighting the importance of educational actions with a social focus. Additionally, the findings reveal the need for better student training regarding the use and interpretation of dietary assessment tools, as well as the reinforcement of dietary counseling as an essential component of dental care.