Targeting Teeth: Pediatric Obesity and the Dental Office

摘要

T he prevalence of pediatricnoverweight and obesity hasnincreased more than 300%nsince the 1960s.1,2 These trends willnlikely have major public health implicationsnincluding higher rates of typen2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea,ncardiovascular complications, andnorthopedic problems among children,nadolescents and adults.1 The etiologynof childhood obesity is multifactorial. Two contributingnfactors include: (1) environmental factors, such asnoverexposure to advertising for high-fat foods and thenabundance of fast food and (2) behavioral factors, such asneating while watching television and the overconsumptionnof high-fat, high-sugar beverages and foods. Interestingly,nthe increasing prevalence of obesity parallels the increasenin the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages bynchildren and adolescents.1 Current evidence, including anrecent meta-analysis, supports the association betweennsugar-sweetened beverages intake and obesity and suggestsna reduction in population soft drink consumption.1,3