Periodontitis and Obesity: A Study of the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background: The present study aims to determine whether there is an association between periodontitis and obesity among Korean adults who participated in the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods: In 2007, 4,246 subjects, > 19 years of age, who participated in the KNHANES (a cross-sectional survey conducted by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) were selected for analysis. Participants underwent a periodontal examination and anthropometric measurements, and were asked to complete a questionnaire about their socioeconomic status and overall health status. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were used as measures of overall body fat and upper body fat. Standard BMI and WC cutoff points were used, as established by the World Health Organization and the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity. Periodontal status was assessed by Community Periodontal Index and periodontitis was defined as >=code 3. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out, adjusting for the following variables: sex; age; household income; bedtime toothbrushing habits; use of dental floss; use of an interproximal toothbrush; presence of active tooth decay; the number of decayed, missing, or filled permanent teeth; diabetes mellitus; and present smoking status. Results: In multivariate logistic regression analysis, there was no association between BMI and periodontitis. Obese people with BMI >= 25 had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.991 (0.806 to 1.220) for having periodontitis. But we found a significant association between abdominal obesity and periodontitis. After adjusting for all covariates, the adjusted odds ratio for periodontitis was 1.358 (confidence interval 1.003 to 1.839) for obese subjects. Conclusions: A high WC seems to be associated with periodontitis, whereas BMI does not. This finding shows that abdominal obesity is significantly correlated with periodontitis. J Periodontol 2011;82:533-542.