Influence of social factors on sugary products behavior in 4-year-old children with regard to dental caries experience and information at child health centres.

The aim was to analyze the steering effects of 15 social factors on sugary products behavior at 4 years of age in 177 children. The parents had in most cases received information on dental health care at child health centers, with due respect to the level of caries among the children, who were classified as ‘healthy’ (no caries experience) (n = 83) or 'diseased' (caries experience) (n = 84). The parents filled in a mailed diet history form. Only sugary products unsuitable from a cariologic point of view were considered. The products were given scores reflecting the frequency of intake. The social factors were social background, family, information, and conceptual factors. By means of multiple regression analysis, explanatory values of the social variables for sugary products behavior were estimated. For the total material, 13% of the variance was explained by all variables combined. Among the social background factors, 'parents' age' was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Among family factors, 'day-car...