Abstract This
cross-sectional study aimed to determine the
association between
dental caries and weight status, and between
dental caries and
physical activity in Brazilian schoolchildren
aged 8 to 12 years. A multi-stage sample of
children enrolled in 20 private and public
schools in 2010 in Pelotas, Southern
Brazil, were invited to participate in the study. Socioeconomic data were collected from
parents, and data regarding
children characteristics were collected from
children using a
questionnaire and anthropometric
measures. The
Body Mass Index was obtained, and
children were classified as
overweight/obese considering age and
sex. Dental examinations were performed to assess the presence of gingival
inflammation,
dental caries prevalence (DMFT≥1) and
dental caries experience (mean DMFT). Multivariate Poisson Regression was used to assess factors associated with
dental caries prevalence and experience. A total of 1,210
children were included in the study.
Dental caries prevalence was 32.4% (95% CI 29.7-35.2), while the mean DMFT was 0.64 (± SD 1.00).
Children who practiced less than 300 minutes per week of
physical activity and overweigh/obese
children had lower
prevalence of
dental caries, while
children with
obesity or
overweight presented lower
dental caries experience.
Obesity/
overweight and
physical activity level presented an inverse relationship with
dental caries.
Longitudinal studies investigating the complexity of this relationship are required.