These researchers assessed the impact of a healthy food policy restricting sugary food and drinks upon student oral health of one primary school (Yendarra Primary) situated in a socioeconomically deprived area of South Auckland. Records of caries of the primary and adult teeth were obtained between 2007 and 2014 for children aged 8–11 years attending Yendarra, and compared to those of 8 other public schools with a similar demographic profile in the same region. None of the other schools had introduced any such low sugar nutrition policy. A total of 3813 records were examined. In linear regression analysis that adjusted for confounders, Yendarra school children had a lower mean number of carious primary and adult teeth (0.37), compared to children in other schools. Pacific students had higher numbers of carious teeth (adjusted β coefficient: 0.25; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.46) than Māori.
