[Bronchial obstruction and eczema unexpectedly common among Swedish infants. Interesting findings in an questionnaire study about food and life style habits of small children]

Lakartidningen. 2005 Feb;102(7):472-4, 476.
[Article in Swedish]

Abstract

In our questionnaire study of 599 six-month-old and 512 twelve-month-old infants born in Western Sweden, we found that parents continued to adhere to outdated primary preventive recommendations against introducing eggs and fish early in the diet. Thirty-five percent of parents had not introduced eggs and 15% of the parents had not introduced fish by the time the infant was ten months old. We could also confirm a high prevalence of wheezing. At twelve months, 17.6% had had one or more episode of wheezing. Of the twelve-month-old infants, 4.1% had received or were being given inhaled corticosteroids. Twenty-five% had or had had eczema at twelve months. 11% had been admitted to a neonatal ward and one-half of these had then been given broad-spectrum antibiotics (5.9% of all twelve-month-old infants in the study). 37% of the households kept fur-bearing pets. We believe that the questionnaire used in this study can be a useful instrument for estimating the effects of lifestyle and environmental factors on the development of future asthma and allergy.

MeSH terms

  • Allergens / adverse effects
  • Bronchial Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Bronchial Diseases / etiology
  • Bronchial Diseases / immunology
  • Eczema / epidemiology*
  • Eczema / etiology
  • Eczema / immunology
  • Feeding Behavior*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / epidemiology
  • Hypersensitivity / etiology
  • Hypersensitivity / immunology
  • Infant
  • Infant Food
  • Life Style*
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / epidemiology*
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / etiology
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / immunology
  • Male
  • Respiratory Sounds / etiology
  • Respiratory Sounds / immunology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sweden / epidemiology

Substances

  • Allergens