# A cross-sectional study on the relationship between dietary magnesium intake and periodontitis in different body mass index and waist circumference groups: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2014

## TL;DR

This study found that higher magnesium intake is linked to lower periodontitis risk, but only in non-obese populations.

## Contribution

The study reveals that magnesium's protective effect on periodontitis is significant only in non-obese groups.

## Key findings

- Higher magnesium intake was associated with a 28% lower odds of periodontitis in non-obese individuals.
- The protective effect of magnesium was not observed in general or abdominal obese populations.
- Subgroup analysis showed magnesium's benefit is limited to non-general and non-abdominal obese groups.

## Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the correlation between magnesium consumption and periodontitis in different body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) groups. 8385 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2009–2014 were included. The correlation between dietary magnesium intake and periodontitis was first tested for statistical significance by descriptive statistics and weighted binary logistic regression. Subgroup analysis and interaction tests were performed to investigate whether the association was stable in different BMI and WC groups. There was a statistical difference in magnesium intake between periodontitis and non-periodontitis populations. In model 3, participants with the highest magnesium consumption had an odds ratio of 0.72 (0.57-0.92) for periodontitis compared to those with the lowest magnesium consumption. However, in subgroup analysis, the relationship between magnesium intake and periodontitis remained significant only in the non-general obese (BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2) and non-abdominal obese populations (WC ≤ 102 cm in men and ≤ 88 cm in women). Dietary magnesium intake might decrease the periodontitis prevalence in the American population, and this beneficial periodontal health role of magnesium consumption might only be evident in non-general obese and non-abdominal obese populations.