Determinants for early introduction of complementary foods in Australian infants: findings from the HSHK birth cohort study

Table 2 Association between biomedical factors and very early introduction of solid foods (< 17 weeks) (n = 934)

Variables	Solids introduced^a	Solids introduced^a	Univariate odds ratio^b
	< 17 weeks	≥17 weeks	Univariate odds ratio^b
	N (%)	N (%)	OR	CI₉₅
Parity
Primiparous	61 (13.1)	406 (86.9)	1.00
Multiparous	66 (14.1)	401 (85.9)	1.09	0.75, 1.59
Infant gender
Female	59 (12.9)	398 (87.1)	1.00
Male	68 (14.3)	409 (85.7)	1.12	0.77, 1.63
Infant birth weight
≥ 2500 g	121 (13.6)	767 (86.4)	1.00
< 2500 g	6 (13.0	40 (87.0)	0.95	0.39, 2.29
Gestational age
≥ 37 weeks	120 (13.9)	746 (86.1)	1.00
< 37 weeks	7 (10.3)	61 (89.7)	0.71	0.32, 1.60
Method of delivery
Vaginal	94 (14.4)	558 (85.6)	1.00
Caesarean	33 (11.7)	249 (88.3)	0.79	0.52, 1.20
Breastfeeding initiation
No	23 (30.7)	52 (69.3)	1.00
Yes	104 (12.1)	755 (87.9)	0.31***	0.18, 0.53
Feeding method at 4 weeks
Fully breastfed	62 (10.6)	524 (89.4)	1.00
Partially breastfed	13 (9.0)	131 (91.0)	0.84	0.45, 1.57
Fully formula fed	52 (25.5)	152 (74.5)	2.89***	1.92, 4.36
Smoking status of the mother postpartum
No	100 (11.8)	751 (88.2)	1.00
Yes	27 (32.5)	56 (67.5)	3.62***	2.19, 6.00
Smoking status of the mother during pregnancy
No	108 (12.2)	775 (87.8)	1.00
Yes	19 (37.3)	32 (62.7)	4.26***	2.33,7.78
Alcohol drinking status of the mother postpartum
No	78 (12.3)	554 (87.7)	1.00
Yes	49 (16.2)	253 (83.8)	1.38	0.93, 2.03
Alcohol drinking status of the mother during pregnancy
No	111 (13.2)	731 (86.8)	1.00
Yes	16 (17.4)	76 (82.6)	1.39	0.78, 2.46

^a The total of the categories do not always add up to 934 due to missing or incomplete data for some items
^b The univariate odds ratio indicates the likelihood of early introduction of solid foods
OR odds ratio; CI₉₅–95% confidence interval
*** p < 0.001