Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of food consumption during culinary training programs on dental caries (decayed, missing, and filled teeth; DMFT) and on blood lead levels (PbB) in college students. Methods: In this longitudinal two-year follow-up study of 376 freshmen enrolled in the school year 2004 at one culinary college and at one medical university, both located in southern Taiwan, data were collected from September 2004 to September 2006. The final study population included the 247 students who completed the two-wave surveys. Results: After adjusting for the baseline number of dental caries (DMFT), DMFT was found to be reduced (0.302; p=.008) in students whose mothers graduated from college or university. Besides, compared to non-culinary students, culinary students had on average 0.509 more dental caries (p=0.008). After adjusting for baseline blood lead levels (PbB), blood lead levels were higher in men than women (β=0.319; p=0.006). In addition, compared to non-bartender students, bartender students on average had 0.319μg/dL (p=0.006) more PbB. Conclusions: After adjusting for confounding factors, we found culinary training increases the risk for dental caries, and bartender training significantly increases PbB; therefore, occupational health education programs should alert people involved in the culinary field to the potential health hazards of their employment.

齲齒值 ;血鉛值 ;餐飲 ;調酒課程 ;飲酒

dental caries DMFT , blood lead levels PbB , culinary , bartender curriculum , alcohol