PURPOSE: To analyze the association between carbohydrate intake and consumption of sugar group servings with the presence of dental caries in college athletes.
METHODS: 159 (90 men, 69 women) college athletes from different sports were evaluated. 24-hour dietary recalls were administered to estimate the carbohydrate intake and the number of sugar servings consumed. In the same period, a dental evaluation was performed to determine oral health and possible dental injuries (specifically dental caries). Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the association between carbohydrate intake (g/day, g/kg/d, or categories as ≤3 g/kg/day, 3.1 to 5 g/kg/day, and > 5.0 g/kg/day), sugar group servings (sugar, honey, jam, jelly, sweet beverages) and the presence of dental caries.
RESULTS: 22 athletes (13.8%) presented dental caries. Carbohydrate intake was not significantly associated with dental caries when expressed in g/d (OR [95% CI], 1.00 [0.996 - 1.003]; p =0.801), nor g/kg/d (0.992 [0.799 - 1.232]; p=0.943). The amount of sugar servings consumed was neither significantly associated with caries (1.010 [0.940 - 1.084]; p=0.793). In the analysis by carbohydrate categories (≤3 g/kg/day reference group) consuming 3.1 to 5 g/kg/day (0.779 [0.191 - 3.180]; p=0.728), neither >5.0 g/kg/day (1.3030 [0.487-3.484], p=0.598) were significantly associated with the presence of dental caries. Even after adjustig the model, there were no significant associations with carbohydrate and sugar servings with dental caries (Table 1).
CONCLUSIONS: Carbohydrate intake (expressed as g/d, g/kg/d, and categories) nor the number of sugar servings consumed were associated by themselves with the presence of dental caries. Further research is needed to elucidate if other non-dietary variables might modulate the association of carbohydrate intake and the presence of dental caries.
Table 1. Adjusted model analysis between carbohydrate intake and dental caries (n=159)Model | Variables | OR | 95% CI | p-value |
1 | Sugar servings | 1.022 | 0.937 to 1.115
| 0.620 |
CHO (g/d) | 0.999 | 0.995 to 1.115
| 0.633 |
2 | Sugar servings | 1.014 | 0.935 to 1.100
| 0.736 |
CHO (g/kg/d) | 0.973 | 0.760 to 1.246
| 0.827 |
3 | Sugar servings | 1.012 | 0.937 to 1.093
| 0.760 |
CHO (3.1 to 5 g/kg/d) | 1.639 | 0.419 to 6.416
| 0.478 |
CHO (>5 g/kg/d) | 1.200 | 0.274 to 5.266
| 0.809 |
Adjusted model 3: ≤3 g/kg/day reference group.
CHO: Carbohydrates.
|