Calcium and fat metabolic balance, and gastrointestinal tolerance in term infants fed milk-based formulas with and without palm olein and palm kernel oils: a randomized blinded crossover study

Table 4 Formula intake, human milk intake, gastrointestinal tolerance, and stool characteristics*

	Metabolic period		Tolerance period
Variables	PALM	NoPALM	PALM	NoPALM
	(n = 17)**	(n = 17)	(n = 16)	(n = 17)
Average study formula intake, mL/kg/d	113 ± 20	114 ± 19	99 ± 31	103 ± 33
Average human milk intake, g/kg/d	0 ± 0	0 ± 0	94 ± 36 (n = 15)	81 ± 29 (n = 12)
Average numbers of feedings, #/d	6.3 ± 0.2	6.2 ± 0.1	4.6 ± 0.6	5.4 ± 0.9^d
Spit-up/vomit, % of feedings	4.0 ± 4.8	3.5 ± 4.7	12.8 ± 25.5	13.9 ± 21.4
Stool frequency, # stools/d	3.4 ± 0.7	2.9 ± 0.9^a	1.7 ± 0.6	1.9 ± 0.7
Mean rank stool consistency score (MRSC)^‡	2.4 ± 0.3	3.0 ± 0.5^b	3.3 ± 0.5	3.5 ± 0.6
Stool consistency, % of stools
Watery	0 ± 0	0.5 ± 2	27.5 ± 19	26.9 ± 19.9
Loose/mushy	1.2 ± 3.5	19.2 ± 21.6^c	19.1 ± 17.2	38.2 ± 14.2^e
Soft	39.7 ± 26.5	58.9 ± 30.8	43.7 ± 18.9	32.6 ± 23.8
Formed	59.1 ± 25.7	21.4 ± 35.8^a	21.6 ± 12.5	20.7 ± 16.3
Hard	0 ± 0	0 ± 0	10.8 ± 4.9	0 ± 0
Total stool production, g/kg/day	5.2 ± 2.3	4.2 ± 2.7
Stool moisture content, %	82.8 ± 2.6	84.8 ± 6.5

*Values are means ± SD.
**Sample sizes (n) for each column are in parenthesis except where noted to be different.
^‡MRSC score: 5 = watery, 4 = loose/mushy, 3 = soft, 2 = formed, 1 = hard (higher is softer).
^a = p <0.036; ^b = p = 0.001; ^c = Significant carryover effect (p = 0.077) Period I only, PALM = 0.9 ± 2.8 & NoPALM = 8.3 ± 11.7 (NS at p = 0.122); ^d = p = 0.005; ^e = p = 0.002.

ISSN: 1471-2431