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ObjectiveTo describe the introduction of complementary foods in a population-based cohort in relation to recommendations and explore the possible impact of maternal education on infant feeding practices.DesignProspective data from the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) cohort study were used. The ABIS study invited all infants born in south-east Sweden during October 1997–October 1999 (n 21 700) to participate. A questionnaire was completed for 16 022 infants. During the infants’ first year parents continuously filed in a diary covering introduction of foods.SettingSweden.SubjectsInfants (n 9727) with completed food diaries.ResultsPotatoes, vegetables, fruits/berries and porridge were the foods first introduced, with a median introduction between 19 and 22 weeks, followed by introduction of meat, cow’s milk, follow-on formula and sour milk/yoghurt between 24 and 27 weeks. Early introduction of any food, before 16 weeks, occurred for 27 % of the infants and was more common in infants of mothers with low education. Overall, potatoes (14·7 %), vegetables (11·1 %), fruits/berries (8·5 %), porridge (7·4 %) and follow-on formula (2·7 %) were the foods most frequently introduced early. The majority of infants (≥70 %) were introduced to potatoes, vegetables, fruits/berries and porridge during concurrent breast-feeding, but introduction during concurrent breast-feeding was less common in infants of mothers with low education.ConclusionsMost infants were introduced to complementary foods timely in relation to recommendations. Low maternal education was associated with earlier introduction of complementary foods and less introduction during concurrent breast-feeding. Still, the results indicated exposure to fewer foods at 12 months in infants of mothers with low education.

Sweden has the second highest incidence of type 1 diabetes in the world. Nutritional aspects in utero and in infancy affect the development. We conducted a survey to determine whether reported maternal use of vitamin D-containing micronutrient supplements during pregnancy was associated with the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in the child.This report was based on data from the ABIS (All Babies In Southeast Sweden) study, with questionnaire data on 16 339 mother and infant pairs at birth and at 1-yr of age (n = 10 879), of whom 108 children were registered with type 1 diabetes before 14-16 yr of age. The questions 'during pregnancy, did you take any vitamin/mineral supplements?' and 'if yes, which? (open answer)' in addition to other lifestyle questions were answered. Logistic regression was performed with onset of type 1 diabetes as the dependent variable and vitamin D supplementation use as the independent variable, adjusted for relevant factors.Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy was consumed by 9.3% of mothers whose children later got type1 diabetes and among 11.3% of those mothers whose children did not get type 1 diabetes (p = 0.532). No significant association was found between reported supplement intake of vitamin D during pregnancy and risk of type 1 diabetes, even when adjusting for factors which could influence the association.Maternal use of vitamin D-containing multivitamin supplements during pregnancy was not related to the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in children before 14-16 yr of age in Southeast of Sweden.