Inequalities in the frequency of free sugars intake among Syrian 1-year-old infants: a cross-sectional study

BMC Oral Health

Research Article

Raman Bedi¹  Kanaan Elias²  May Khairallah³  Wael Sabbah⁴  Easter Joury⁵ 

[1] Centre for International Child Oral Health, King’s College London, 26-29 Drury Lane, Rooms 329-331, WC2B 5RL, London, UK;Eastman Dental Institute, University College London, WC1X 8LD, London, UK;Oral Medicine Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria;Population and Patient Health, King’s College London Dental Institute, Denmark Hill Campus, Bessemer Road, SE5 9RS, London, UK;Population and Patient Health, King’s College London Dental Institute, Denmark Hill Campus, Bessemer Road, SE5 9RS, London, UK;Oral Medicine Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria;

关键词: Social determinants of health;    Socioeconomic factors;    Health literacy;    Health behaviour;    Dietary sugars;    Infant;    Syria;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12903-016-0287-8

 received in 2016-02-01, accepted in 2016-08-26,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundHigh frequency of free sugars intake, during the first year of life is probably the greatest risk factor for early childhood caries. The latter is a global public health challenge. Very little is known about the social determinants of infant’s frequency of free sugars intake, particularly in low-income countries. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the association between the frequency of free sugars intake among 1-year-old Syrian infants and each of parents’ socioeconomic position (SEP), maternal frequency of free sugars intake and knowledge of infant’s oral health behaviour.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, 323 1-year-old infants, attending vaccination clinics in 3 maternal and child health centres (MCHCs) in Damascus, Syria, were selected. A systematic random sampling was applied using the MCHCs’ monthly vaccination registries. The 3 MCHCs were located in affluent, moderate and deprived areas. Infants’ mothers completed a structured questionnaire on socio-demographics, infant’s and mother’s frequency of free sugars intake from cariogenic foods and beverages, and mother’s knowledge about infant’s oral health behaviour. Binary and multiple regression analyses were performed. The level of significance was set at 5 %.ResultsThe response rate was 100 %. Overall, 42.7 % of infants had high frequency of free sugars intake (>4times a day). Infants whose fathers were not working were more likely to have high frequency of free sugars intake. Similarly, infants whose mothers had low level of knowledge about infant’s oral health behaviour, or high frequency of free sugars intake were more likely to have high frequency of free sugars intake. The association between father’s occupation and infant’s frequency of free sugars intake attenuated after adjustment for mother’s knowledge and frequency of free sugars intake (adjusted OR = 1.5, 1.8, 3.2; 95%CI = 0.5–4.8, 1.1–3, 1.4–7.4; respectively).ConclusionsThere are socioeconomic inequalities in the frequency of free sugars intake among Syrian 1-year-old infants. Integrated pre/post-natal interventions, targeting mothers from low SEP and aiming at reducing their free sugars intake and improving their knowledge about infant’s oral health behaviour, will potentially reduce socioeconomic inequalities in infant’s frequency of free sugars intake.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016