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Effect of exclusive breast‐feeding and early solid food avoidance on the incidence of atopic dermatitis in high‐risk infants at 1 year of age
Author(s) -
Schoetzau Angela,
FilipiakPittroff Birgit,
Franke Käthe,
Koletzko Sibylle,
Von Berg Andrea,
Gruebl Armin,
Bauer Carl Peter,
Berdel Dietrich,
Reinhardt Dietrich,
Wichmann H.Erich
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
pediatric allergy and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.269
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1399-3038
pISSN - 0905-6157
DOI - 10.1034/j.1399-3038.2002.01050.x
Subject(s) - medicine , atopic dermatitis , incidence (geometry) , breast feeding , odds ratio , atopy , breast milk , infant formula , risk factor , confidence interval , pediatrics , food allergy , prospective cohort study , logistic regression , allergy , immunology , biochemistry , chemistry , physics , optics
The aim of this study was to assess the preventive effect of exclusive breast‐feeding and early solid food avoidance on atopic dermatitis (AD) in infancy. This study is part of a dietary clinical trial in a prospective cohort of healthy term newborns at risk of atopy. It was recommended to breast‐feed for at least 4 months and to avoid solid food in the same time‐period. Eight hundred and sixty‐five infants exclusively breast‐fed, and 256 infants partially or exclusively formula‐fed, were followed‐up until the end of the first year following birth. AD and sensitization to milk and egg were considered as study end‐points. The 1‐year incidence of AD was compared between the two study groups. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by multiple logistic regression. The incidence of AD was calculated in relation to age at introduction of solid food and amount of food given. In the breast‐fed group, the adjusted OR for AD was 0.47 (95% CI 0.30–0.74). The strongest risk factor was the occurrence of AD in the subject's core family. The risk of infants with AD to be sensitized to milk was four times higher, and to egg eight times higher, than in infants without AD. Age at first introduction of solid food and diversity of solid food showed no effect on AD incidence. We conclude that in infants at atopic risk, exclusive breast‐feeding for at least 4 months is effective in preventing AD in the first year of life.