Table 2.

Baseline characteristics and safety parameters according to feeding group^§

	HbPA+ group	Control group	BF group
Baseline characteristics	n = 31	n = 27	n = 18
Gender m/f	15/16	16/11	10/8
Mean birth weight ± SD (g)	3287 ± 377	3354 ± 376	3520 ± 444
Mean gestational age ± SD (weeks)	39.2 ± 1,2	39.6 ± 1,2	39.7 ± 1.3
Cesarean delivery, n (%)	6 (19)	5 (19)	6 (33)
Antibiotic treatment prior to birth, n (%)	1 (3)	2 (7)	2 (11)
Parent with higher education entrance qualific. (Abitur), n (%)	9 (29)	4 (15)	10 (56)*
Anthropometrics	n = 31	n = 27	n = 18
Mean weight gain ± SD after 12 weeks (g/d)	31.2 ± 9.5	32.6 ± 10.1	27.9 ± 8.4
Mean length gain ± SD after 12 weeks (cm/d)	0.11 ± 0.02	0.11 ± 0.03	0.09 ± 0.03**
Mean head growth ± SD after 12 weeks (cm/d)	0.06 ± 0.01	0.06 ± 0.01	0.06 ± 0.01
Formula consumption	n = 30	n = 27
Mean formula intake at 6 weeks (ml/kg bw)	155 ± 30	164 ± 30	n.a.
Mean formula intake at 12 weeks (ml/kg bw)	134 ± 26	134 ± 21	n.a.

^§Participants who have completed the intervention period

m male, f female, SD standard deviation, bw body weight, HbPA+ group participants receiving formula with high beta-PA and GOS supplement, control group participants receiving standard infant formula, BF group participants predominantly breast-fed, n.a. not applicable

*There was significant difference in proportion of parents with higher education level between feeding groups (p value .014); **difference in mean length gain after 12-week intervention was significantly lower in breast-fed infants compared to infants in control formula group