Table 1 Summary of results of studies included in the systematic review
From: Age of introduction of first complementary feeding for infants: a systematic review
Study | Study design | Country | N | Outcomes related to age of CF introduction | Results from CF introduction at | P | Conclusion/Main findings related to age of introduction of solids | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | 6 mo | 4 mo | Â | Â | |
Cohen et al. 1994 [14] | RCT | Honduras | 141 | Growth | Wt gain (g) | 1092 (356) | 1051 (315) | ˃0.05 | No sig differences in weight and length gain were found between the groups. |
Length gain (cm) | 3.9 (1.2) | 3.8 (1.1) | ˃0.05 | ||||||
Dewey et al. 1998 [18] | RCT | Honduras | 164 | Fe status | Hb (g/L) | 104 (10) | 109 (10) | Ë‚0.05 | Infants who received CF at 4 months had sig higher iron status parameters than EBF infants |
Ht | 0.33 (0.027) | 0.34 (0.026) | <0.05 | ||||||
Ferritin (μ/L) | 48.4 (44.2) | 67.3 (64.5) | ˂0.05 | ||||||
Jonsdottir et al. 2012 [15] | RCT | Iceland | 100 | Growth | Wt gain (z score) | -0.01(0.42) | -0.02(0.31) | 0.90 | No sig differences were found between the groups in growth. Sig positive effect of earlier CF introduction on iron stores |
| Â | Length gain (z score) | 0.04 (0.51) | 0.03 (0.50) | 0.96 | |||||
Gain in HC (z score) | 0.06 (0.48) | 0.06 (0.40) | 0.99 | ||||||
Fe status | Hb (g/L) | 113.7 (7.3) | 113.9 (6.1) | 0.91 | |||||
Ferritin (μg/L) | 44.0 (53.8) | 70.0 (77.3) | 0.02 | ||||||
Wells et al. 2012 [16] | RCT | Iceland | 100 | Growth | Wt (z score) | 0.36 (0.99) | 0.28 (1.08) | 0.7 | No significant differences were found between the groups in growth and body composition. |
| Â | Length (z score) | 0.77 (0.84) | 0.60 (0.92) | 0.3 | |||||
BMI (z score) | -0.10 (1.04) | -0.08 (1.14) | 0.9 | ||||||
HC (z score) | 1.02 (0.89) | 0.94 (0.77) | 0.6 | ||||||
Body composition | Lean mass (kg) | 4.96 (1.18) | 5.13 (0.92) | 0.4 | |||||
Fat mass (kg) | 3.04 (1.12) | 2.71 (0.96) | 0.14 | ||||||
Khadivzadeh and Parsai 2004 [17] | Observ. | Islamic republic of Iran | 200 | Growth | Wt (g) | 7719 (763) | 7762 (843) | 0.95 | There were no significant differences in wt and length between infants fed solids at 4 months and infants fed solids at 6 mo of age. |
Length (cm) | 66.5 (3.0) | 66.6 (3.1) | 0.86 | ||||||
Wt gain (g) | 922 (500) | 1015 (419) | 0.86 | ||||||
Length gain (cm) | 3.6 (1.3) | 3.5 (1.1) | 0.70 | ||||||