Objective: Processed foods and fatty, sugary snacking products, such as fizzy drinks and desserts, have become more popular, causing a desire to replace meals with snacks worldwide. High-sugar and fat-rich food components have been reported to be associated with increased level of dental caries as well as underweight and overweight. The aim of the present cross-sectional population-based study was to analyse the eating behaviours of young, healthy Finnish males in association with oral health and BMI, considering self-reported and residential background factors.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Finnish Defence Forces, Finland.
Participants: The used clinical data were gathered from 13 564 Finnish conscripts born in the beginning of the 1990s through clinical check-ups. In addition, about 8700 of the conscripts answered a computer-assisted questionnaire ('Oral Health of the Conscripts 2011' data) about their background information and health habits.
Results: There was distinct variation in dietary patterns. Eating breakfast, regular physical exercise and daily tooth brushing all decreased the odds for restorative dental treatment need (decayed teeth), whereas smoking and drinking fizzy drinks for quenching thirst increased it. Eating breakfast and dinner were each associated with lower BMI, but smoking increased the odds for higher BMI (≥25 kg/m2).
Conclusions: Regular, proper meals and especially eating breakfast decreased the odds for both dental caries and high BMI (≥25 kg/m2).
Keywords: Adolescent; BMI; Dental caries; Eating habits; Meals.