| 2150 Eating Behaviors Associated with Risk Caries among Young Adults | ||
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F. QIAN, T.A. MARSHALL, C. RASOOL, and P. KEEL, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA Previous research has identified associations between dietary factors and dental caries, but there has been limited investigation of relationships between eating behaviors and caries risk. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of eating behaviors that could increase frequency or length of exposure to cariogenic foods and, therefore, increase caries risk. Methods: The study sample (aged 18-36 years) included undergraduate students enrolled in general introductory psychology courses (n=383) and 1st and 2nd year dental students (n=118) from University of Iowa. All participants completed dietary behaviors questionnaires addressing meal patterns (daily frequency of meals/snacks, location of meals/snacks, meal/snack companions) and eating behaviors (food restriction, meal skipping, evening/night snack habits, eating disorders). Descriptive frequency tables were generated, and bivariate analyses were conducted (alpha=0.05). Results: Dental students were more likely to have three meals daily than undergraduates (65.5% vs. 37.1%, p<0.0001), and less likely to have 2 meals daily (16.4 vs. 50.4%, p<0.0001). Undergraduate students were more likely to have unstructured meal patterns than dental students (45.1% vs. 25.0%, p=0.0001). Moreover, undergraduates were more likely to restrict intake than dental students (57.6% vs. 43.5%, p=0.0076), while dental students were less likely to skip multiple meals weekly than undergraduates (73.9% vs. 53.4%, p=0.0106). Although similar numbers of students (50.9% dental students, 44.2% undergraduates) reported losing control during eating, undergraduates were more likely to choose foods containing sugar, starch and sugar/starch blends than dental students (83.5% vs. 48.9%, p<0.0001). Conclusion: Potentially cariogenic eating habits were more prevalent in undergraduates than in dental students who have more oral health knowledge, suggesting that education targeting eating habits could decrease caries risk in young adults. Supported by Grant T32 DEO14678-04
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| Seq #226 - Nutrition Posters 3:30 PM-4:45 PM, Friday, March 23, 2007 Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Exhibit Hall I2-J | ||
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