Association between Mediterranean diet scores and dental caries among children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025037
- VernacularTitle:神经发育障碍儿童青少年地中海膳食评分与龋患的关联
- Author:
XIONG Wenjuan, SU Yuanyuan, LIU Zhao, HUANG Xiaoqing, QU Zhiyi, CUI Shanshan
1
Author Information
1. School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin (300070) , China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Neurodevelopmental disorders；Diet, Mediterranean；Dental caries；Regression analysis；Child；Adolescent
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2025;46(2):172-176
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the association between mediterranean diet (MD) patterns and dental caries among children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), so as to provide a basis for developing scientific anti caries strategies related to diet.
Methods:From December 2021 to June 2024, a questionnaire survey, a three day 24 hour dietary review survey, oral health examination, physical development measurement and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) evaluation were conducted involving 147 children and adolescents aged 2-22 years with NDD from nine special education schools and rehabilitation institutions in Tianjin. Group comparisons were carried out using the Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, or Fisher s exact probability method. The correlation between dietary quality and dental caries was analyzed by adopting multiple linear regression analysis and restricted cubic spline.
Results:There were 46 children and adolescents (31.3%) in the non dental caries group and 101 children and adolescents (68.7%) in the dental caries group. The number of decayed missing and filled teeth (dmft) was 2.0 (4.0), and the MD score was 4.0 (2.0) points. There were 62 children and adolescents (42.2%) in the low MD scores group and 85 children and adolescents (57.8%) in the high MD scores group. There was no significant difference in MD scores between NDD children in the non dental caries group and those in the dental caries group [nondental caries group:4.0(2.0), dental caries group:4.0(2.0), Z= -0.14, P >0.05]. The MD scores and dmft exhibited increasing and then decreasing trend ( P total =0.02, P non lineary = 0.04 ). Children and adolescents with NDD in the MD high scores group had a lower number of dmft than those in the MD low scores group ( β= -2.00 , 95%CI =-3.39 to -0.62, P <0.05). However, in children and adolescents with NDD and CARS scores ≥30, the above association was insignificant ( β=-0.63, 95%CI=-0.29-0.15, P >0.05).
Conclusion:Children and adolescents with NDD who have dietary patterns similar to the Mediterranean diet, are found to have fewer dental caries, and this is observed among those with no or mild symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.
