Advances in the management of digestive problems during the first months of life.

A study was carried out on 168 full-term infants with digestive problems such as regurgitation and/or constipation to evaluate the efficacy of new infant formulas containing partially hydrolysed whey protein, modified vegetable oil with a high β-palmitic acid content, prebiotic oligosaccharides and starch. Infants receiving the new formulas had an increase in stool frequency of 0.60 between day 1 and day 7 (95% CI 0.19–1.01; p =0.004) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.11–0.90; p =0.015) between day 7 and day 14. A reduction of 1.06 in the number of regurgitation episodes was reported between day 1 and day 7 (95% CI 0.24–1.88; p =0.012) and 1.31 (95% CI 0.42–2.21; p =0.005) between day 7 and day 14. Conclusion: A prebiotic mixture of galacto-/fructo-oligosaccharides with a high β-palmitic acid content may reduce digestive problems and improve intestinal tolerance in infants during the first months of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]