Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the subjects in the dietary advice and control group with median with interquartile range or mean ± SD.
| Variable | Dietary Advice (n = 58) |
Control Group (n = 60) |
|---|---|---|
| Personal characteristics | ||
| Age (years) | 2.4 ± 1.1 | 2.4 ± 1.0 |
| Girls (%) | 21 (37%) | 36 (63%) |
| BMI-for-age standard score | −0.13 ± 1.16 | −0.06 ± 1.26 |
| Height-for-age standard score | 0.02 ± 1.20 | −0.25 ± 0.89 |
| Perinatal characteristics | ||
| Delivery (vaginal) | 33 (46%) | 39 (54%) |
| Gestational age (weeks) | 39.0 (38–40) | 38.5 (38–40) |
| Birth weight (kg) | 3.5 ± 0.6 | 3.2 ± 0.7 |
| Duration of breastfeeding (months) | 1 (0–3) | 1 (0–3) |
| Clinical characteristics | ||
| Two or more symptoms of URTI in the run-in period (days/month) |
14.5 ± 7.9 | 14.4 ± 9.0 |
| Infection episodes in run in period (n/month) | 2.0 (1.0–3.0) | 1.5 (1.0–2.0) |
| Day care attendance (days/week) | 2.0 ± 1.5 | 1.9 ± 1.5 |
| Parental smoking | 35 (60%) | 31 (52%) |
| Number of children (%) with 1 or more antibiotic treatments in run in period | 14 (25%) | 13 (22%) |
BMI, body mass index; URTI, upper respiratory tract infection; mean values = age, BMI-for-age standard score, height-for-age standard score, birthweight, URTI symptoms in run-in period, day care attendance; median values = gestational age, infection episodes run-in period.