Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of wheeze and eczema in 763 infants aged 16–24 months by quartiles of maternal consumption of specific fats during pregnancy
| Variable* | Wheeze | Eczema | ||||
| No of cases | Crude OR (95% CI) | Adjusted OR (95% CI)† | No of cases | Crude OR (95% CI) | Adjusted OR (95% CI)† | |
| Total fat | ||||||
| Q1 (50.3) | 49 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 34 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (58.5) | 52 | 1.08 (0.68 to 1.70) | 1.12 (0.68 to 1.85) | 39 | 1.18 (0.71 to 1.97) | 1.55 (0.88 to 2.76) |
| Q3 (64.2) | 30 | 0.54 (0.32 to 0.89) | 0.59 (0.33 to 1.04) | 33 | 0.96 (0.56 to 1.63) | 1.37 (0.75 to 2.52) |
| Q4 (72.4) | 38 | 0.72 (0.44 to 1.16) | 0.80 (0.44 to 1.43) | 36 | 1.07 (0.63 to 1.80) | 1.49 (0.79 to 2.83) |
| p for trend | 0.03 | 0.18 | 0.98 | 0.30 | ||
| Saturated fatty acids | ||||||
| Q1 (13.3) | 55 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 33 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (15.9) | 41 | 0.67 (0.42 to 1.07) | 0.84 (0.51 to 1.39) | 34 | 1.03 (0.61 to 1.75) | 1.38 (0.78 to 2.48) |
| Q3 (18.3) | 37 | 0.59 (0.36 to 0.95) | 0.66 (0.39 to 1.10) | 34 | 1.03 (0.61 to 1.75) | 1.32 (0.74 to 2.37) |
| Q4 (21.7) | 36 | 0.57 (0.35 to 0.92) | 0.65 (0.39 to 1.10) | 41 | 1.30 (0.78 to 2.18) | 1.60 (0.92 to 2.83) |
| p for trend | 0.02 | 0.07 | 0.33 | 0.13 | ||
| Monounsaturated fatty acids | ||||||
| Q1 (16.7) | 47 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 40 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (19.9) | 50 | 1.08 (0.68 to 1.71) | 1.21 (0.73 to 2.02) | 32 | 0.76 (0.45 to 1.26) | 0.90 (0.51 to 1.59) |
| Q3 (22.2) | 36 | 0.71 (0.43 to 1.15) | 0.92 (0.52 to 1.61) | 31 | 0.73 (0.43 to 1.22) | 1.03 (0.56 to 1.88) |
| Q4 (25.7) | 36 | 0.71 (0.43 to 1.15) | 0.79 (0.43 to 1.45) | 39 | 0.96 (0.59 to 1.58) | 1.32 (0.70 to 2.49) |
| p for trend | 0.06 | 0.33 | 0.85 | 0.36 | ||
| n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids | ||||||
| Q1 (1.7) | 53 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 35 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (2.2) | 38 | 0.64 (0.40 to 1.03) | 0.57 (0.33 to 0.99) | 38 | 1.10 (0.66 to 1.84) | 1.72 (0.95 to 3.13) |
| Q3 (2.5) | 42 | 0.73 (0.46 to 1.16) | 0.66 (0.36 to 1.22) | 33 | 0.93 (0.55 to 1.56) | 1.63 (0.83 to 3.22) |
| Q4 (3.0) | 36 | 0.60 (0.37 to 0.97) | 0.53 (0.26 to 1.08) | 36 | 1.03 (0.61 to 1.73) | 1.74 (0.82 to 3.73) |
| p for trend | 0.06 | 0.13 | 0.92 | 0.20 | ||
| α-Linolenic acid | ||||||
| Q1 (1.3) | 53 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 35 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (1.6) | 38 | 0.64 (0.40 to 1.03) | 0.63 (0.37 to 1.07) | 33 | 0.93 (0.55 to 1.56) | 1.28 (0.71 to 2.29) |
| Q3 (1.9) | 45 | 0.80 (0.50 to 1.26) | 0.78 (0.45 to 1.35) | 35 | 0.99 (0.59 to 1.67) | 1.69 (0.91 to 3.13) |
| Q4 (2.3) | 33 | 0.54 (0.33 to 0.88) | 0.52 (0.28 to 0.97) | 39 | 1.14 (0.68 to 1.90) | 1.79 (0.93 to 3.50) |
| p for trend | 0.04 | 0.08 | 0.58 | 0.06 | ||
| Eicosapentaenoic acid | ||||||
| Q1 (0.08) | 48 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 39 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (0.13) | 39 | 0.76 (0.47 to 1.23) | 0.77 (0.42 to 1.41) | 36 | 0.90 (0.54 to 1.49) | 0.99 (0.51 to 1.89) |
| Q3 (0.18) | 38 | 0.74 (0.45 to 1.19) | 0.76 (0.37 to 1.58) | 33 | 0.81 (0.48 to 1.35) | 1.12 (0.52 to 2.45) |
| Q4 (0.28) | 44 | 0.89 (0.55 to 1.42) | 0.76 (0.33 to 1.80) | 34 | 0.84 (0.50 to 1.40) | 0.98 (0.39 to 2.50) |
| p for trend | 0.59 | 0.58 | 0.44 | 0.95 | ||
| Docosahexaenoic acid | ||||||
| Q1 (0.15) | 55 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 40 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (0.24) | 29 | 0.44 (0.26 to 0.72) | 0.41 (0.20 to 0.81) | 40 | 0.99 (0.61 to 1.63) | 1.50 (0.76 to 3.02) |
| Q3 (0.32) | 50 | 0.87 (0.55 to 1.37) | 0.72 (0.33 to 1.57) | 32 | 0.76 (0.45 to 1.26) | 1.11 (0.49 to 2.54) |
| Q4 (0.46) | 35 | 0.55 (0.34 to 0.89) | 0.37 (0.15 to 0.91) | 30 | 0.70 (0.41 to 1.18) | 0.86 (0.33 to 2.28) |
| p for trend | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.57 | ||
| n-6 Polyunsaturated fatty acids | ||||||
| Q1 (9.0) | 48 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 34 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (10.7) | 39 | 0.76 (0.47 to 1.23) | 0.83 (0.49 to 1.42) | 30 | 0.86 (0.50 to 1.46) | 1.18 (0.65 to 2.17) |
| Q3 (12.1) | 44 | 0.89 (0.55 to 1.42) | 0.93 (0.53 to 1.64) | 37 | 1.10 (0.66 to 1.85) | 1.81 (0.97 to 3.42) |
| Q4 (14.1) | 38 | 0.74 (0.45 to 1.19) | 0.80 (0.42 to 1.54) | 41 | 1.25 (0.76 to 2.09) | 2.25 (1.13 to 4.54) |
| p for trend | 0.32 | 0.61 | 0.25 | 0.01 | ||
| Linoleic acid | ||||||
| Q1 (8.8) | 48 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 34 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (10.4) | 40 | 0.78 (0.48 to 1.26) | 0.85 (0.50 to 1.45) | 32 | 0.92 (0.54 to 1.57) | 1.22 (0.67 to 2.21) |
| Q3 (11.8) | 43 | 0.86 (0.54 to 1.38) | 0.87 (0.49 to 1.53) | 35 | 1.03 (0.61 to 1.74) | 1.58 (0.85 to 2.98) |
| Q4 (13.8) | 38 | 0.74 (0.45 to 1.19) | 0.79 (0.41 to 1.50) | 41 | 1.25 (0.76 to 2.09) | 2.11 (1.06 to 4.26) |
| p for trend | 0.28 | 0.51 | 0.33 | 0.03 | ||
| Arachidonic acid | ||||||
| Q1 (0.09) | 50 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 49 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (0.12) | 45 | 0.86 (0.54 to 1.37) | 0.98 (0.58 to 1.67) | 29 | 0.52 (0.31 to 0.85) | 0.55 (0.31 to 0.98) |
| Q3 (0.15) | 37 | 0.67 (0.41 to 1.09) | 0.74 (0.42 to 1.30) | 34 | 0.62 (0.38 to 1.02) | 0.73 (0.41 to 1.30) |
| Q4 (0.19) | 37 | 0.67 (0.41 to 1.09) | 0.77 (0.43 to 1.37) | 30 | 0.54 (0.32 to 0.89) | 0.69 (0.38 to 1.27) |
| p for trend | 0.06 | 0.26 | 0.03 | 0.40 | ||
| n-3/n-6 Polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio | ||||||
| Q1 (0.17) | 46 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 31 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (0.19) | 44 | 0.94 (0.58 to 1.50) | 0.88 (0.52 to 1.51) | 33 | 1.07 (0.63 to 1.84) | 1.24 (0.68 to 2.28) |
| Q3 (0.21) | 37 | 0.75 (0.46 to 1.22) | 0.69 (0.39 to 1.23) | 46 | 1.63 (0.98 to 2.72) | 2.13 (1.17 to 3.96) |
| Q4 (0.24) | 42 | 0.88 (0.55 to 1.42) | 0.81 (0.42 to 1.55) | 32 | 1.03 (0.60 to 1.78) | 1.32 (0.65 to 2.71) |
| p for trend | 0.44 | 0.38 | 0.52 | 0.18 | ||
| Cholesterol | ||||||
| Q1 (200.2) | 53 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 51 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Q2 (263.0) | 34 | 0.56 (0.34 to 0.91) | 0.65 (0.38 to 1.10) | 30 | 0.51 (0.30 to 0.84) | 0.53 (0.30 to 0.92) |
| Q3 (333.5) | 41 | 0.71 (0.44 to 1.13) | 0.81 (0.48 to 1.37) | 29 | 0.49 (0.29 to 0.81) | 0.56 (0.31 to 0.99) |
| Q4 (430.7) | 41 | 0.71 (0.44 to 1.13) | 0.85 (0.49 to 1.47) | 32 | 0.55 (0.33 to 0.90) | 0.71 (0.39 to 1.27) |
| p for trend | 0.25 | 0.74 | 0.02 | 0.27 | ||
*Quartile medians in g/day (except for cholesterol, mg/day) adjusted energy intake using the residual method are given in parentheses, except for the ratio of n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids which was based on crude intake in g/day.
†Adjustment for maternal age, gestation at baseline, residential municipality at baseline, family income, maternal and paternal education, maternal and paternal history of asthma, atopic eczema and allergic rhinitis, maternal intake of vitamins D and E during pregnancy, changes in maternal diet in the previous 1 month, season when data at baseline were collected, maternal smoking during pregnancy, baby’s older siblings, baby’s sex, baby’s birth weight, household smoking in same room as infant, breastfeeding duration and time of delivery before third survey.