Early Infant Feeding Practices as Possible Risk Factors for Immunoglobulin E-Mediated Food Allergies in Kuwait

Table 3

Comparison of early feeding practices and exposures between FA cases and controls in the total sample and within age categories.

Characteristics	Total Sample ()		Age Categories, (%)
			<2 years old, 105 (52.5)		2–5 years old,; 65 (32.5)		≥5 years old, 30 (15)
	FA; 100 (50)	Control; 100 (50)	FA; 37 (35.2)	Control,; 68 (64.8)	FA; 39 (60)	Control; 26 (40)	FA; 24 (80)	Control; 6 (20)
Breastfed ever
Yes	83 (52.2)	76 (47.8)	26 (33.8)	51 (66.2)	36 (64.3)	20 (35.7)	21 (80.8)	5 (19.2)
No	17 (44.7)	21 (55.3)	11 (42.3)	15 (57.7)	3 (37.5)	5 (62.5)	3 (75)	1 (25)
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months or more
Yes	48 (64.9)	26 (35.1)	16 (45.7)	19 (54.3)	22 (78.6)	6 (21.4)	10 (90.9)	1 (9.1)
No	43 (38.1)	70 (61.9)	15 (24.2)	47 (75.8)	16 (45.7)	19 (54.3)	12 (75)	4 (25)
Breastfeeding duration, in months
<6	18 (25.7)	52 (74.3)	8 (18.2)	36 (81.8)	5 (31.3)	11 (68.8)	5 (50)	5 (50)
≥6	24 (48)	26 (52)	5 (23.8)	16 (76.2)	15 (62.5)	9 (37.5)	4 (80)	1 (20)
Supplemented with formula
Yes	59 (43.1)	78 (56.9)	24 (31.6)	52 (68.4)	20 (50)	20 (20)	15 (71.4)	6 (28.6)
No	38 (66.7)	19 (33.3)	12 (46.2)	14 (53.8)	17 (77.3)	5 (22.7)	9 (100)	0
Introduction of complementary feedings, age in months
<6	59 (47.6)	65 (52.4)	22 (35.5)	40 (64.5)	20 (51.3)	19 (79.2)	17 (73.9)	6 (26.1)
≥6	35 (71.4)	14 (28.6)	10 (52.6)	9 (47.4)	19 (48.7)	5 (20.8)	6 (100)	0
Antibiotics exposure in the first year
Yes	73 (59.8)	49 (40.2)	27 (42.9)	36 (57.1)	27 (71.1)	11 (28.9)	19 (90.5)	2 (9.5)
No	22 (34.9)	6 (21.4)	7 (23.3)	23 (76.7)	12 (46.2)	14 (53.8)	3 (42.9)	4 (57.1)
Vitamin D deficient or insufficient
Yes	36 (56.3)	28 (43.8)	16 (45.7)	19 (54.3)	16 (66.7)	8 (33.3)	4 (80)	1 (20)
No	15 (22.1)	53 (77.9)	6 (15.8)	32 (84.2)	6 (27.3)	16 (72.7)	3 (37.5)	5 (62.5)

Values are presented as number, , and percent (%). Each subscript letter denotes a subset of FA cases versus controls characteristics categories whose column proportions do not differ significantly from each other at 0.05 level; % characteristics categories compared between FA cases and controls. Chi-square () statistics are as follows: for the ever breastfed [total], = 12.87 (1), ; [<2-year age category], (1), ; [2–5-year age category], = 7.02 (1), ; breastfeeding duration [total], = 6.37 (1), ; supplemented with formula [total], = 8.97 (1), ; [2–5-year age category], = 4.39 (1), ; introduction of complementary feeding [total], = 8.05 (1), ; [2–5-year age category], = 4.89 (1), ; antibiotic exposure [total], = 10.32 (1), , [2–5-year age category], = 4.021 (1), ; [5–13-year age category], = 7.07 (1), ; vitamin D deficient or insufficient [total], = 16.26 (1), ; [<2-year age category], = 7.75 (1), ; [2–5-year age category], = 7.14 (1), .