Low level of galacto-oligosaccharide in infant formula stimulates growth of intestinal Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli

Table 1 Clinical data of the infants enrolled in the study

	GOS formula	GOS formula & human milk	Human milk	Control formula	F/P value
Babies recruited in 3 mo follow-up	n = 37	n = 58	n = 24	n = 45
Male/Female	20/17	30/28	13/11	24/21
Gestational age (wk)	38.7 ± 0.6	39.1 ± 0.8	39.4 ± 0.7	38.8 ± 0.8	1.40/0.24
Weight at birth (kg)	3.30 ± 0.42	3.20 ± 0.43	3.34 ± 0.43	3.35 ± 0.45	1.28/0.28
Length at birth (cm)	49.50 ± 0.96	49.47 ± 1.15	49.61 ± 1.23	49.57 ± 1.03	0.13/0.94
Head circumference at birth (cm)	34.15 ± 0.55	33.98 ± 0.72	34.07 ± 0.81	34.25 ± 0.77	1.35/0.26
Feeding volume (mL/kg-BW/d)	162 ± 27			157 ± 34
Weight gain during study period (g/d)	41.26 ± 5.22	43.35 ± 4.87	40.97± 5.06	40.59 ± 3.95	1.54/0.21
Length gain during study period (cm/wk)	0.95 ± 0.11	1.01 ± 0.11	0.93 ± 0.10	0.96 ± 0.11	1.94/0.13

Data are expressed as mean ± SD. GOS formula: Galactooligosaccharides in an amount of 0.24 g/dL. Control formula does not contain added GOS.