A scoping review of skills and tools oral health professionals need to engage children and parents in dietary changes to prevent childhood obesity and consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages

Abstract

Objectives: Increased consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been linked to obesity. Obesity now affects one in six children in the United States. The purpose of this scoping review is to identify and review published studies that discuss skills and tools oral health professionals can use with children (under age 12) and their parents to encourage dietary changes to aid in preventing childhood obesity and reducing consumption of SSBs. Methods: Key search terms were identified and used to examine selected databases via PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. A total of 637 records were identified. After duplicates were removed and records were screened for eligibility, 33 remained. Six met established inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results: Only two full-text articles included dental-office-based weight interventions. Patient response to education on healthy habits and weight maintenance in the dental setting was favorable. Literature supports oral health professionals expanding their role in health care delivery by offering nutrition and physical activity recommendations to prevent and/or reduce chronic disease. Active listening and motivational interviewing were techniques identified to promote beneficial lifestyle changes. Conclusions: There is limited research on behavior modification tools and skills that have been effectively implemented in the dental setting to decrease risk of obesity. Oral health professionals are uniquely positioned to address consumption of SSBs and promote positive dietary habits for improved weight management. Future studies are needed to identify effective techniques that techniques that oral health professionals can integrate into preventive patient care.

“Your Body Feels Better When You Drink Water”: Parent and School-Age Children’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Cognitions

“…Helping parents and children fully realize the potential outcomes of SSB on oral health could be an important component of future nutrition education programming to elicit reductions in sugary beverage intake. Furthermore, the American Dental Association recognizes the role of dental professionals in promoting healthy lifestyles and behavior change to reduce the incidence of obesity by collaborating with other health care professionals and organizations [ 43 ]. General oral health recommendations include visiting the dentist twice a year, which provides an opportunity for nutrition education professionals to develop theory-based training programs to train oral health professionals to discuss limiting SSBs with families and provide educational materials and training that oral health professionals can provide to families to help them limit SSB consumption in children [ 43 ].…”

Added Sugar and Dental Caries in Children

“…71 Studies on motivational interviewing in dentistry have yielded mixed results, 72 but other specialties within pediatric medicine have reported success with motivational interviewing-based approaches. 73-75 Other relevant behavioral approaches have been documented, including application of the Theory of Planned Behavior, which focuses on modifying an individual’s intention to take action. 27,75…”

Healthy Futures: Engaging the oral health community in childhood obesity prevention – Conference summary and recommendations

“…As reported by Dooley et al (16), these include family-based programs, motivational interviewing, enhanced practice tools (e.g., language interpreters, teach-back approaches), and higher-level interventions to change public policy (16). In their systematic review, Mallonee et al (17) confirmed that motivational interviewing and active listening techniques have proven most effective in engaging children and their parents in obesity-prevention interventions in health care settings, including dental practices.…”