Does obesity directly correlate to periodontal disease, or could it be only one of the risk factors?

Design The study was a cohort study that conformed with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines for reporting observational studies. Cohort election Obesity is identified as a risk factor for several non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the study aimed to evaluate the risks for NCDs (for example, diabetes or high blood pressure). The study included participants from the Electric Generation Authority of Thailand. The workers were randomly selected from urban and rural areas. They were asked to answer a health survey every five years. Data analysis The authors evaluated 2,216 workers and the evaluation consisted of a sociodemographic, medical and oral health examination. Results The ten-year incidence of periodontal disease progression was 59.6 cases per 100 persons. In addition, the univariate analysis revealed that being obese was linked to a 15% higher risk of progression of periodontal disease than in non-obese subjects. Conclusions Despite the higher prevalence of periodontal disease among obese individuals, it is not considered an independent risk factor for the development of periodontitis.