Reduced Occurrence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Chinese Infants Fed Minimally Processed Commercially Available Formula: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Table 4
Stool characteristics and gastrointestinal symptoms per group.
Variables
IF A (n = 105)
IF B (n = 100)
IF C (n = 103)
IF D (n = 101)
value
Amsterdam stool scale (7-day average)
Daily stool frequency (mean score)
1.50 ± 0.75
1.39 ± 0.64
1.52 ± 0.85
1.60 ± 0.99
0.312
Daily stool amount (mean score)
2.44 ± 0.74
2.32 ± 0.72
2.46 ± 0.79
2.45 ± 0.78
0.117
Stool amount (# reports)
0-No stool
4
5
5
5
1-smear
8
9
11
8
2-up to 25%
49
51
39
45
3-25–50%
37
30
41
34
4->50%
7
5
7
9
Daily stool consistency (mean score)
1.44 ± 0.67
1.16 ± 0.78
1.19 ± 0.79
1.22 ± 0.81
0.0001
Stool consistency (# reports)
0-No stool
4
5
5
5
1-watery
7
14
14
12
2-soft/Formed
91
72
75
73
3-hard
3
9
10
11
Daily stool colour (mean score)
2.09 ± 0.67
2.74 ± 1.08
2.53 ± 0.79
2.32 ± 0.75
0.0008
Stool colour (# reports)
No stool
4
5
5
5
I (yellow/golden)
13
8
6
13
II (orange)
69
32
43
41
III (green)
16
40
40
39
IV (brown)
2
7
8
2
V (grey/black)
1
5
1
0
VI (white)
0
3
0
0
Gastrointestinal symptoms based on the subject diary (7-day average)
Abdominal distension (mean score)
1.22 ± 0.82
1.48 ± 0.82
1.43 ± 0.75
1.44 ± 0.72
0.001
Burping (mean score)
1.39 ± 0.96
1.66 ± 0.90
1.85 ± 0.93
1.78 ± 0.91
0.004
Flatulence (mean score)
1.07 ± 0.83
1.45 ± 0.72
1.36 ± 0.67
1.55 ± 0.76
<0.0001
Diarrhea (mean score)
0.88 ± 0.67
1.18 ± 0.63
1.15 ± 0.56
1.08 ± 0.50
<.0001
Constipation (mean score)
0.92 ± 0.75
1.11 ± 0.51
1.38 ± 0.92
1.20 ± 0.66
<.0001
Colic (mean score)
1.13 ± 0.45
1.13 ± 0.48
1.05 ± 0.28
1.08 ± 0.37
0.167
Regurgitation (mean score)
0.14 ± 0.43
0.08 ± 0.29
0.08 ± 0.29
0.09 ± 0.32
0.648
Vomiting (mean score)
0.28 ± 0.63
0.29 ± 0.71
0.26 ± 0.59
0.22 ± 0.52
0.935
# Reports “no complaints”
Abdominal distension
16.2
0
0
2.4
Burping
17.9
0
0
1.6
Flatulence
24
0.4
0
2.7
Diarrhea
27
5.2
4.1
5.8
Constipation
26.7
5
3.6
5.6
Colic
0.1
0.3
0
0.7
Regurgitation
83.4
80.1
82.7
82.6
Vomiting
93.4
92.7
95.4
91.8
;;. Mean score for GI symptoms based on 0: no complaints, 1: very mild, 2: mild, 3: moderate, 4: quite severe, 5: very severe.
