Table 5 Relation between dietary patterns in pregnancy and asthma, wheezing and atopy in the offspring
Unadjustedp ValueAdjusted*p Value
OR† (95% CI)OR† (95% CI)
Asthma at 7.5 years (n = 7625)
Health conscious0.90 (0.84 to 0.97)0.0070.95 (0.86 to 1.04)0.27
Traditional0.97 (0.90 to 1.04)0.390.96 (0.89 to 1.04)0.35
Processed1.05 (0.97 to 1.13)0.230.98 (0.90 to 1.07)0.68
Confectionery0.98 (0.91 to 1.06)0.651.00 (0.91 to 1.08)0.93
Vegetarian1.03 (0.97 to 1.10)0.301.02 (0.95 to 1.09)0.62
Wheezing at 7.5 years (n = 7707)
Health conscious1.00 (0.93 to 1.08)0.991.00 (0.91 to 1.11)0.94
Traditional1.01 (0.94 to 1.09)0.751.00 (0.92 to 1.08)0.99
Processed0.97 (0.90 to 1.06)0.540.92 (0.84 to 1.01)0.098
Confectionery0.99 (0.91 to 1.07)0.781.02 (0.93 to 1.12)0.70
Vegetarian1.04 (0.97 to 1.11)0.311.02 (0.95 to 1.10)0.62
Atopy at 7 years (n = 6085)
Health conscious1.07 (1.01 to 1.14)0.030.95 (0.88 to 1.04)0.26
Traditional0.98 (0.92 to 1.05)0.610.98 (0.91 to 1.05)0.54
Processed0.88 (0.82 to 0.95)<0.0010.93 (0.85 to 1.01)0.08
Confectionery1.04 (0.97 to 1.10)0.261.07 (0.99 to 1.15)0.09
Vegetarian1.03 (0.97 to 1.10)0.281.02 (0.96 to 1.09)0.44
  • *Controlling for energy intake, maximum smoked, infections, antibiotics and paracetamol use during pregnancy; maternal educational level, housing tenure, financial difficulties, pre-pregnancy body mass index, ethnicity, age, parity, history of asthma, eczema, rhinoconjunctivitis, migraine; sex of child, gestational age, breast fed in first 6 months, day care at 8 months, multiple pregnancy, pets in infancy, damp/condensation/mould, child exposed to environmental tobacco smoke at weekends, season of birth, season of food frequency questionnaire completion, birth weight, head circumference, birth length; number of younger siblings and child’s BMI at age 7.

  • †Per standard deviation of dietary pattern score.