Relationship between breast milk feeding and atopic dermatitis in children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether or not the breast milk feeding has a role in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among children.


METHODS
The target population of the study was all children participating in health check-up program for 3-year-old children in 60 municipalities locating 10 selected prefectures during designated 2 months between October and December 1997. Using a questionnaire, information on nutrition in infants (breast milk only, bottled milk only, or mixed), parity, mothers' age at birth, and a history of atopic dermatitis was obtained. Besides, data on potential confounding factors were obtained.


RESULTS
Questionnaires from 3856 children (81.6% of those who were to participate in the programs, and 96.4% of children who participated them) were analyzed. After the adjustment for all potential confounding factors using unconditional logistic models, the risk of atopic dermatitis was slightly higher among children with breast milk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16 with 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96-1.40). Mothers' age at birth (OR for those who were more than 30 years or older in comparison with those who were younger than 30 years = 1.15; 95% CI, 0.96-1.37) and those with second or later parity orders (OR = 1.14, 95% CI; 0.95-1.35) showed odds ratios that were higher than unity without statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Breast milk elevates the risk of atopic dermatitis slightly without statistical significance; the risk may be, however, higher in children in second or later parity orders.
Nakamura
Y
Y
Department of Health Science, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
Oki
I
I
Tanihara
S
S
Ojima
T
T
Ito
Y
Y
Yamazaki
O
O
Iwama
M
M
Tabata
Y
Y
Katsuyama
K
K
Sasai
Y
Y
Nakagawa
M
M
Matsushita
A
A
Hossaka
K
K
Sato
J
J
Hidaka
Y
Y
Uda
H
H
Nakamata
K
K
Yanagawa
H
H
Hosaka
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001722:Birth Order; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires