Role of diet in ECC affected South Indian children assessed by the HEI-2005: A pilot study

BACKGROUND: “Early Childhood Caries”(ECC) is a serious global oral health problem affecting children of 71 months of age or younger. ECC has a multifactorial model of causation and diet imparts an intricately specific effect. AIM: The study aims to determine the protective and harmful role of different dietary consumption in the causation of ECC in South Indian children, assessed by the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A pilot study of cross-sectional analytical study design was conducted in a dental college and hospitals in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hundred healthy South Indian children of 3–6 years age were screened for dental caries by the ICDAS II criteria, dmf/dmfs and pufa index. Participants were divided into three groups according to their caries status such as [Group 1:caries-free, group 2:ECC, group 3:severe ECC (S-ECC)]. Questionnaires were collected with demographic details, 24 h previous dietary record, and a subsequent 3-day chart of dietary consumption. Accordingly, the HEI-2005 score was calculated for each participant. Descriptive statistics was used for analysis of sociodemographic data, Kruskal–Wallis test for multivariate analysis, and for interpreting the total effect of HEI on study groups, logistic regression analysis was used. RESULTS: Caries experience in South Indian children demonstrated a significant association with age. Caries-free children showed significantly higher association with darkgreen/orange vegetables/legumes, milk, and calories from SoFAAS (solid fat, alcohol, and added sugars) than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings illustrated a prominent protective role played by specific components of the HEI-2005, as healthy dietary intake against dental caries in South Indian children.