There are more overweight people than underweight people in the world. It’s getting worse,” Mallonee said. “And what we see is that this generation of kids is going to die at a younger age than their parents if poor lifestyle habits and patterns of dietary choices continue.”Sleep Disorders? for more information.
In January, the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center at Georgetown University in collaboration with several groups including the ADA, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the Santa Fe Group were awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to identify evidence-based approaches that can be utilized by oral health professionals in reducing childhood obesity while improving children’s oral health.
“We’re looking at childhood obesity and what we as the dental health profession can actually do to address it in our practices and how we can work together not only with the children (under age 12) who are our patients, but also with their parents,” Mallonee said.
Some nations are employing a more aggressive strategy. Mexico saw its 2013 tax on sugary beverages slash consumption by 12%. England will impose a similar levy on soft-drink producers and importers based on the amount of sugar in their products beginning in 2018. Some municipalities in the United States have considered similar approaches.
“I don’t know if taxing is the way to go, or if it’s having more programmatic support nationally as well as at the state and local level,” Mallonee said. “Perhaps putting more programs in place that promote behavior change would help individuals increase their activity levels and make healthier choices for weight control. Incentive programs in the workplace and more funding dollars for community level programs are a few examples.”
In the meanwhile, dentists can turn to research for more information, which in turn can help them communicate obesity’s risks to oral health to their patients, improving the state of their teeth as well as the rest of their bodies micro motors australia.
“There’s ample evidence-based information regarding the impact of obesity on periodontal health,” Mallonee said. “We should always provide information supported by research, so when making recommendations, turn to the literature. Relate the research regarding obesity to your patient population in simplified terms using language they can understand dental curing light. Practically apply your findings to educate and tailor recommendations on an individual patient-by-patient basis.”