Table 2

Length of exclusive and partial breast feeding in relation to reported asthma and allergic symptoms among 3791 children up to 2 years of age

	Exclusive breast feeding						Partial breast feeding
	<4 months  (n=773)		≥4 months  (n=3013)				<6 months  (n=680)		≥6 months  (n=3110)
	n	%	n	%	OR adj*	95% CI	n	%	n	%	OR adj*	95% CI
*Adjustment has been made for gender, heredity, maternal age, smoking during pregnancy and/or during the three first months of life of the child, and year of construction of home of the family.
†Asthma in combination with one or more of the following: atopic dermatitis, suspected allergic rhinitis, suspected allergic respiratory symptoms after exposure to pollen or pets, or adverse reactions to food.
‡Wheezing and/or disturbing cough, after contact with furred pets or tree/grass pollen.
§At least three of the five different outcomes: asthma, atopic dermatitis, suspected allergic rhinitis, suspected allergic respiratory symptoms after exposure to pollen or pets, or adverse reactions to food.
Wheezing ever	251	33	797	27	0.78	0.65 to 0.93	219	32	830	27	0.81	0.67 to 0.97
Asthma according to definition	90	12	231	7.7	0.66	0.51 to 0.87	81	12	240	7.7	0.69	0.52 to 0.91
Doctor’s diagnosis of asthma	71	9.2	174	5.8	0.66	0.49 to 0.90	64	9.4	181	5.8	0.69	0.50 to 0.95
Asthma combined with any other allergic manifestation†	53	6.9	133	4.4	0.69	0.49 to 0.97	46	6.8	140	4.5	0.77	0.54 to 1.1
Suspected allergic rhinitis	70	9.0	192	6.5	0.73	0.54 to 0.99	61	9.0	201	6.5	0.80	0.58 to 1.09
Suspected allergic respiratory symptoms‡	58	7.5	137	4.6	0.66	0.47 to 0.92	48	7.0	148	4.8	0.80	0.56 to 1.15
Atopic dermatitis	209	27	742	25	0.85	0.71 to 1.0	181	27	770	25	0.88	0.72 to 1.05
Adverse reaction to food	166	22	601	20	0.91	0.75 to 1.1	135	20	632	20	1.0	0.85 to 1.31
Severe symptoms of allergic disease§	71	9.2	173	5.8	0.66	0.49 to 0.90	64	9.5	178	5.9	0.69	0.50 to 0.95