Dietary Intake and Anthropometric Measurement at Age 36 Months Among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Children in Australia

Abstract

Key Points Question What is the effect of providing an intervention to prevent childhood dental caries earlier (during pregnancy and at ages 6, 12, and 18 months) rather than later (aged 24, 30, and 36 months) on intake of unhealthy foods and body mass index among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children at age 36 months? Findings In this secondary analysis of 448 mothers and 454 children enrolled in a randomized clinical trial, no differences in discretionary food intake were found between 2 groups of children, but those who received the intervention earlier had greater z scores for weight, arm circumference, and body mass index than children who received the intervention later. Meaning Findings from this analysis suggest that an oral health intervention could have unintended consequences for children, such as worse anthropometric outcomes.