Abstract
Background:Eating disorders are complex conditions that cause serious emotional and physical problems.Aim:The aim of the study was to evaluate the behavioral risk for eating disorders in Brazilian female adolescents and their association with dental caries and erosion.Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study included 200 students from public and private schools aged 15-18 years divided into two groups according to behavioral risk:Group 1 -adolescents without risk andGroup 2 -adolescents at risk / disorder situation. Sociodemographic information (age and type of school), use of dental services, eating habits, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was obtained. The Bulimic Investigatory Test of Edinburgh (BITE) was used to identify behavioral risk. Caries experience was assessed using the DMFT index, while dental erosion was evaluated using the O'Sullivan index. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with a significance level of 5%.Results:The highest overweight and obesity percentages were verified among adolescents at risk / disorder, respectively, 33% and 16%. There was a statistically significant association between behavioral risk and variables standard dietary pattern (p<0.001), strict diet (p<0.001), fasting for 24 hours (p<0.001), self-induced vomiting (p<0.001), and BMI (p<0.001). There was also a statistically significant difference between behavioral risk and the presence of dental caries (p<0.05) and erosion (p<0.001).Conclusion:Behavioral risk for eating disorders in female adolescents was associated with standard dietary patterns, strict diet and, self-induced vomiting. Adolescents at risk / eating disorders for bulimia were related to dental caries and erosion.
Highlights
The prevalence of eating disorders has increased in Brazil and other countries, becoming an essential public health problem [1, 2]
Behavioral risk for eating disorders in female adolescents was associated with standard dietary patterns, strict diet and, self-induced vomiting
Adolescents at risk / eating disorders for bulimia were related to dental caries and erosion
Summary
The prevalence of eating disorders has increased in Brazil and other countries, becoming an essential public health problem [1, 2]. This condition is relatively common among adolescents and young people, especially in women [3], with ages ranging from 14 to 19 years [4]. Knowing that individuals with eating disorders are ashamed of their behavior [13], that early erosive lesions on permanent teeth as a result of acts such as self-induced vomiting as well as caries lesions can compromise the dentition throughout the individual’s life, requiring extensive restorative procedures, epidemiological studies should be carried out for the identification of these individuals and for early diagnosis, aiming at the implementation of adequate curative and preventive measures. Eating disorders are complex conditions that cause serious emotional and physical problems
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