Table 1.
Baseline comparisons by treatment group
| Placebo (n=20 308) | Zinc (n=20 968) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age (months) | ||
| 1−5 | 11824 (58%) | 12237 (58%) |
| 6−11 | 1832 (9%) | 1909 (9%) |
| 12−23 | 3298 (16%) | 3480 (17%) |
| 24−35 | 3354 (17%) | 3342 (16%) |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 10375 (51%) | 10873 (52%) |
| Female | 9933 (49%) | 10095 (48%) |
| Ethnic group (NR=227) | ||
| Pahadi | 6196 (31%) | 6513 (31%) |
| Madeshi | 14011 (69%) | 14329 (69%) |
| Caste (NR=195) | ||
| Brahmin | 1499 (7%) | 1211 (6%) |
| Chetri | 1483 (7%) | 1339 (6%) |
| Vaishya | 12490 (62%) | 13520 (65%) |
| Shudra | 2676 (13%) | 2833 (14%) |
| Muslim or other | 2073 (10%) | 1957 (9%) |
| Parental literacy | ||
| Paternal literacy (NR=224) | 11094 (55%) | 11142 (53%) |
| Maternal literacy (NR=206) | 5083 (25%) | 4790 (23%) |
| Paternal occupation (NR=285) | ||
| Farmer | 9256 (46%) | 9782 (47%) |
| Labourer | 5996 (30%) | 6112 (29%) |
| Business | 2713 (13%) | 2477 (12%) |
| Private service | 1437 (7%) | 1618 (8%) |
| Government | 540 (3%) | 478 (2%) |
| None | 243 (1%) | 340 (2%) |
| Previous child mortality (NR=536) | ||
| Rate per 1000 livebirths | 80·7 | 81·9 |
| ≥1 previous child | 4497 (22%) | 4784 (23%) |
| Electricity in house (NR=198) | ||
| Yes | 4700 (23%) | 4628 (22%) |
| Ownership | ||
| Bicycle (NR=194) | 10014 (50%) | 10622 (51%) |
| Cart (NR=191) | 2452 (12%) | 2396 (12%) |
| Radio (NR=197) | 5797 (29%) | 5718 (27%) |
| TV (NR=212) | 3563 (18%) | 3267 (16%) |
| Paddy farm land (NR=372) | 9844 (49%) | 10399 (50%) |
| Non-paddy farm land (NR=358) | 9055 (45%) | 9391 (45%) |
| Cattle (NR=194) | 12399 (61%) | 13004 (62%) |
| Goats (NR=198) | 9405 (47%) | 9921 (48%) |
| House wall material (NR=193) | ||
| None | 282 (1%) | 276 (1%) |
| Thatch | 5389 (27%) | 5916 (28%) |
| Mud | 11022 (55%) | 11325 (54%) |
| Wood | 585 (3%) | 598 (3%) |
| Concrete | 2943 (15%) | 2747 (13%) |
| House roof material (NR=202) | ||
| None | 96 (1%) | 83 (<1%) |
| Thatch | 3524 (17%) | 3422 (16%) |
| Tile or tin | 15696 (78%) | 16623 (80%) |
| Concrete | 904 (5%) | 726 (4%) |
| Latrine at house (NR=262) | ||
| Yes | 2466 (12%) | 1962 (9%) |
| Water source (NR=197) | ||
| Tube well | 16694 (83%) | 17428 (84%) |
| Ring well | 3026 (15%) | 3071 (15%) |
| Other | 499 (3%) | 361 (2%) |
| Mid-upper-arm circumference (cm) (NR=848) | ||
| Mean (SD) | 10·98 (1·96) | 10·98 (1·96) |
| Median (IQR) | 10·50 (7·3−13·7) | 10·50 (7·3−13·7) |
| ≤11·5 | 12082 (61%) | 12486 (61%) |
| 11·5−12·4 | 2327 (12%) | 2461 (12%) |
| 12·5−13·4 | 2664 (13%) | 2764 (13%) |
| ≥13·5 | 2758 (14%) | 2886 (14%) |
Data are number (% of children for whom that category of information was reported), unless otherwise indicated. NR=not reported.