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Table 4 Association between infant feeding and autism symptoms in children with ASD

From: Association of feeding patterns in infancy with later autism symptoms and neurodevelopment: a national multicentre survey

Variable

Breastfeeding duration, β(95%CI)

Timing of complementary food, β(95%CI)

Acceptance of complementary food, β(95%CI)

 < 6 months

6–12 months

 ≥ 12 months

4–6 months

 ≤ 4 months

 > 6 months

Good

Fair

Poor

ABC (N = 1328)

Reference

-0.481 (-3.815,2.853)

-4.923**

(-8.214, -1.631)

Reference

0.932

(-3.163,5.027)

0.913

(-2.111,3.937)

Reference

4.229**

(1.221,7.237)

5.103*

(0.288,9.919)

SRS (N = 1218)

 Social awareness

Reference

-0.117

(-0.590, 0.355)

-0.147

(-0.616, 0.322)

Reference

-0.014

(-0.600, 0.572)

-0.330

(-0.767, 0.107)

Reference

0.464*

(0.051, 0.877)

1.101**

(0.395, 1.806)

 Social cognition

Reference

-0.376

(-1.032, 0.279)

-0.628

(-1.278, 0.023)

Reference

0.020

(-0.781, 0.821)

-0.116

(-0.739, 0.506)

Reference

0.957**

(0.355, 1.559)

1.529**

(0.585, 2.474)

 Social communication

Reference

0.236

(-1.077, 1.548)

-0.259

(-1.550, 1.033)

Reference

0.476

(-1.090, 2.042)

-0.326

(-1.572, 0.920)

Reference

1.935**

(0.793, 3.078)

3.455***

(1.664, 5.246)

 Social motivation

Reference

0.037

(-0.691, 0.766)

-0.282

(-1.014, 0.450)

Reference

-0.096

(-0.982, 0.791)

-0.056

(-0.742, 0.630)

Reference

0.579

(-0.101, 1.260)

1.402**

(0.353, 2.451)

 Autism behavior mannerisms

Reference

-0.027

(-1.935, 0.881)

-0.482

(-1.331, 0.367)

Reference

0.234

(-0.791, 1.259)

-0.300

(-1.091, 0.492)

Reference

1.255**

(0.515, 1.995)

2.052**

(0.849, 3.255)

 SRS total scores

Reference

-0.290

(-3.625,3.046)

-1.891

(-5.173,1.390)

Reference

0.460

(-3.557,4.476)

-1.166

(-4.299,1.967)

Reference

5.268**

(2.287,8.248)

9.564***

(4.934,14.194)

CARS (N = 1179)

Reference

0.076

(-0.956,1.108)

-1.355**

(-2.330, -0.379)

Reference

1.174

(-0.088,2.435)

0.011

(-0.984,1.006)

Reference

-0.027

(-1.045,0.991)

0.476

(-0.897,1.849)

Communication warning behavior (N = 962)

Reference

0.198

(-3.293,3.689)

-2.071

(-5.460,1.318)

Reference

3.394

(-0.796,7.584)

0.524

(-2.725,3.772)

Reference

-0.109

(-3.166,2.949)

-1.866

(-6.519,2.786)

  1. On the basis of the original data, missing demographic data were imputed, as well as 111 data on breastfeeding, 86 data on time of introduction of complementary foods, and 119 data on acceptance of complementary food (Only ASD group)
  2. Multivariate linear regression was used for adjusting for the child’s age, gender, residence, annual family income, paternal education level, maternal education level, and additionally adjusting for other two infant feeding situations with multiple imputed data
  3. ASD autism spectrum disorder, β (95% CI) regression coefficient (95% confidence interval)
  4. *P < 0.05
  5. **P < 0.01
  6. ***P < 0.001
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BMC Psychiatry

ISSN: 1471-244X

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