Association Between Fluoride Exposure and BMI, WWI in Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

This research aimed to investigate the relationship of fluoride exposure to body mass index (BMI), weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) in children and adolescents. The study used the 2015-2016 Nutrition Examination Survey database and screened a total of 2004 participants aged 6 to 19 years. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to analyze the relationship between blood fluoride, urine fluoride, and water fluoride and BMI, WWI, overweight/obesity, and WWI category. The fully adjusted model illustrated that urinary fluoride concentration was positively associated with BMI (β = 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.93). Blood fluoride concentration was positively associated with WWI (β = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.01-0.30). Urinary fluoride concentration was positively associated with overweight/obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.01-1.45). Blood fluoride concentration was positively associated with WWI category (OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.19-3.58). This study found that BMI and WWI in children and adolescents were positively associated with fluoride exposure.