Table 2.
Maternal Report of Reasons for Soy Formula Use
| Reasona | No.b | Major Reason, (%) | Minor Reason (%) | Not a Reason (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I fed my other child(ren) soy formula. | 102 | 54 | 6 | 40 |
| I think soy is healthier than other types of formula. | 88 | 54 | 15 | 31 |
| I suspect my baby had milk intolerance or my family has trouble digesting cow’s milk. | 88 | 52 | 14 | 34 |
| My family or friends recommended it. | 88 | 27 | 7 | 66 |
| I chose soy formula for religious reasons. | 102 | 17 | 4 | 79 |
| Health care provider recommended soy. | 102 | 15 | 10 | 75 |
| I prefer a dairy-free diet. | 102 | 12 | 14 | 74 |
| My child had colic or other digestive problem. | 102 | 7 | 5 | 88 |
| I suspected my baby had a food allergy or intolerance (other than milk). | 102 | 7 | 13 | 80 |
| Other | 102 | 4 | 1 | 95 |
| Family follows a vegan diet. | 102 | 1 | 3 | 96 |
a
Mothers evaluated each reason independently as a major reason, minor reason, or not a reason for choosing soy formula. More than one major or minor reason could be selected.
b
Owing to questionnaire version changes, some responses were only captured for 88 of 102 soy formula–feeding mothers.