Research Article

Feeding Bottles Usage and the Prevalence of Childhood Allergy and Asthma

Table 1

Characteristics of study children.

(%) (%) of missing data*

Questionnaire filled out by1,030 (6.9)
 Both father and mother3,022 (21.8)
 Mother only8,619 (62.3)
 Father only1,738 (12.6)
 Grandparents216 (1.6)
 Others237 (1.7)
Age1,700 (11.4)
 Less than 3 years old489 (3.7)
 3 years old1,631 (12.4)
 4 years old3,740 (28.4)
 5 years old5,021 (38.1)
years old2,281 (17.4)
Gender2,278 (15.3)
 Female6,101 (48.5)
 Male6,483 (51.5)
Gestational age521 (3.5)
 Before week 32205 (1.4)
 In week 32–362,178 (15.2)
 In week 37–4210,731 (74.8)
 In week 43 or later745 (5.2)
 Unknown482 (3.4)
Birth weight230 (1.5)
 Less than 2500 grams932 (6.4)
 2500–4200 grams13,376 (91.4)
 More than 4200 grams180 (1.2)
 Unknown144 (1)
Breastfed totally or partly until279 (1.9)
 Never5,630 (38.6)
 Younger than 3 months6,087 (41.7)
 3–6 months1,371 (9.4)
 Older than 6 months1,495 (10.3)
The age first given infant formula969 (6.5)
 Never248 (1.8)
 Younger than 3 months9,739 (70.1)
 3–6 months2,568 (18.5)
 Older than 6 months1,338 (9.6)
The age first introducing complementary foods590 (4)
 Never111 (0.8)
 Younger than 3 months220 (1.5)
 3–6 months5,761 (40.4)
 Older than 6 months8,180 (57.3)
Ever had allergic symptoms to foods449 (3)
 Unknown1,022 (7.1)
 Never11,947 (82.9)
 Yes, ever had allergic reaction to1,444 (10.0)
  seafood768 (53.1)
  milk or dairy products269 (18.4)
  eggs233 (16.1)
  peanuts136 (9.4)
  fish124 (8.6)
  fruit101 (7.0)
  soya, peas, beans48 (3.3)
  vegetables44 (3.1)
  nuts, almond43 (3)
  flour34 (2.4)
  others376 (26.1)
Family history424 (2.9)
 Paternal asthma310 (2.1)
 Paternal allergic rhinitis or eczema2,709 (18.8)
 Maternal asthma408 (2.8)
 Maternal allergic rhinitis or eczema2,733 (18.9)
 Sibling with asthma643 (4.4)
 Sibling with allergic rhinitis or eczema2,361 (16.4)
Paternal educational levels336 (2.3)
 Junior and junior high school2,348 (16.1)
 Senior high school5,943 (40.9)
 Undergraduate degree5,216 (35.9)
 Graduate degree1,019 (7)
Maternal educational levels369 (2.5)
 Lower than junior high school2,117 (14.6)
 Senior high school6,510 (44.9)
 Undergraduate degree5,476 (37.8)
 Graduate degree390 (2.7)
Parents smoked during the child’s first year of life627 (4.9)
 Either father or mother smoked6,303 (49.7)
Indoor problems with water damage215 (1.7)
 In any room of the home3,205 (35.7)

*The percentage of missing data among 14862 subjects.