Dietary Patterns and Risk of Obesity and Early Childhood Caries in Australian Toddlers: Findings from an Australian Cohort Study

Abstract

We examined associations between dietary patterns at 12 months, characterised using multiple methodologies, and risk of obesity and early childhood caries (ECC) at 24–36 months. Participants were Australian toddlers (n = 1170) from the Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events affecting oral health (SMILE) birth cohort. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and the Dietary Guideline Index for Children and Adolescents (DGI-CA) were applied to dietary intake data (1, 2 or 3-days) at 12 months, and regression analysis used to examine associations of dietary patterns with body mass index Z-score and presence of ECC at 24–36 months. Two dietary patterns were extracted using PCA: family diet and cow’s milk and discretionary combination. The mean DGI-CA score was 56 ± 13 (out of a possible 100). No statistically significant or clinically meaningful associations were found between dietary pattern or DGI-CA scores, and BMI Z-scores or ECC (n = 680). Higher cow’s milk and discretionary combination pattern scores were associated with higher energy and free sugars intakes, and higher family diet pattern scores and DGI-CA scores with lower free sugars intakes. The association between dietary patterns and intermediate outcomes of free sugars and energy intakes suggests that obesity and/or ECC may not yet have manifested, and thus longitudinal investigation beyond two years of age is warranted.

Padrões de consumo alimentar em crianças menores de dois anos no Brasil: Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde, 2013

“…A maior parte dos estudos que avaliam os padrões alimentares são realizados com crianças menores de cinco anos de idade, em idade escolar e com adolescentes 6,7,13,30 , mesmo que existam estudos com menores de dois anos de idade, com avaliações semelhantes à utilizada no presente estudo 14,31 . Por isso, também, a comparabilidade dos achados do presente estudo pode ser considerada limitada.…”

Impact of Dietary Trajectories on Obesity and Dental Caries in Preschool Children: Findings from the Healthy Smiles Healthy Kids Study

“…Dietary patterns and their association with later health outcomes in children have been investigated previously [ 27 , 28 ]. However, studies exploring the association between dietary patterns and obesity amongst children [ 28 , 29 ] as well as the relationship between dietary patterns and ECC [ 28 , 30 ] have shown inconsistent findings.…”

Sweetening Agents and Sweeteners in Dietary Supplements for Children-Analysis of the Polish Market

“…However, the ingredients such as sucrose or glucose syrup can make up more than 90% of DS mass, as in the case of the lollypops [ 39 ]. This group of SA and the health consequences of their consumption such as obesity or dental caries has been well described in literature [ 60 ], whereas in the diet of children, dietary supplements, next to sweetened beverages and sweets, are one of the sources of SA [ 61 ]. Taking into account the negative effects of their consumption, one should consider introducing restrictions in the production of supplements for children with caloric sweetening agents.…”