Dentists' role in childhood obesity

Overweight and obesity are associated with and serve as risk factors for several chronic diseases over the course of a person's lifetime. Childhood obesity is currently a major public health problem worldwide. It is associated with dental caries in several studies, with a possible explanation centering on the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and frequent snacking on carbohydrate-rich foods as common risk factors for both disorders. The efforts to promote healthy weight in children were recently considered at the Healthy Futures: Engaging the Oral Health Community in Childhood Obesity Prevention National Conference, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
Source: Dental Abstracts - Category: Dentistry Tags: The Big Picture Source Type: research