TABLE 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of children 6–18 mo of age1
| Children 6–11 mo of age (n = 2208) | Children 12–18 mo of age (n = 2152) | |
| Child characteristics | ||
| Sex, F | 49.7 (1096) | 49.8 (1070) |
| Family characteristics | ||
| Religion | ||
| Hindu | 79.1 (1745) | 78.5 (1687) |
| Muslim | 20.9 (462) | 21.5 (461) |
| Mean maternal age, y | 25.0 ± 4.8 | 25.4 ± 4.7 |
| Mean paternal age, y | 29.2 ± 5.5 | 29.7 ± 6.1 |
| Maternal education | ||
| Any schooling | 41.2 (909) | 38.5 (828) |
| Paternal education | ||
| Any schooling | 63.8 (1403) | 64.1 (1374) |
| Household characteristics | ||
| Number of preschool-aged children | 2.6 ± 1.6 | 2.7 ± 1.6 |
| Caste | ||
| Scheduled caste | 25.6 (564) | 24.8 (533) |
| Scheduled tribe | 8.1 (179) | 8.4 (181) |
| Other backward caste | 49.8 (1096) | 51.2 (1098) |
| Mean Family Care Indicators score (out of 13) | 4.9 ± 2.2 | 5.4 ± 1.0 |
| Any food deprivation | 9.8 (215) | 9.1 (195) |
| Child nutrition indicators | ||
| Dietary diversity | 2.5 ± 1.1 | 3.0 ± 1.0 |
| Score 4–7 | 13.4 (296) | 27.4 (589) |
| Starches | 80.5 (1777) | 96.1 (2068) |
| Legumes and nuts | 30.5 (674) | 37.5 (807) |
| Dairy | 99.7 (2202) | 99.7 (2146) |
| Flesh foods | 5.1 (112) | 11.0 (237) |
| Eggs | 2.9 (64) | 4.6 (98) |
| Vitamin A–rich fruits and vegetables | 11.2 (247) | 21.7 (468) |
| Other fruits and vegetables | 15.6 (344) | 30.4 (655) |
| Minimum meal frequency achieved | 60.8 (1315) | 70.9 (1494) |
| Minimum acceptable diet achieved | 10.8 (239) | 19.7 (423) |
| Any recent child morbidity | 76.9 (1698) | 74.5 (1603) |
| Fever | 67.1 (1482) | 64.8 (1393) |
| Cough | 56.5 (1246) | 53.2 (1144) |
| Diarrhea | 11.0 (243) | 12.7 (273) |
| Anthropometric measurements | ||
| Length-for-age z score | −1.24 ± 1.30 | −1.75 ± 1.30 |
| Weight-for-length z score | −1.18 ± 1.15 | −1.52 ± 1.11 |
| Weight-for-age z score | −1.62 ± 1.13 | −1.99 ± 1.10 |
| Midupper arm circumference | 13.2 ± 1.1 | 13.1 ± 1.0 |
| Anemia | ||
| Any, hemoglobin <11 g/dL | 70.5 (1002) | 74.1 (1037) |
| Mild, hemoglobin 10 to <11 g/dL | 27.7 (393) | 28.3 (396) |
| Moderate, hemoglobin 7 to <10 g/dL | 40.6 (577) | 42.7 (598) |
| Severe, hemoglobin <7 g/dL | 2.3 (32) | 3.1 (43) |
| Child development scores | ||
| Gross motor score (out of 22) | 8.3 ± 2.8 | 13.1 ± 3.7 |
| Fine motor score (out of 10) | 5.7 ± 1.8 | 7.3 ± 1.5 |
| Language score (out of 15) | 3.1 ± 1.9 | 5.6 ± 2.5 |
| Personal-social score (out of 28) | 13.8 ± 3.5 | 17.3 ± 3.3 |
| Cognitive score (out of 7) | 3.4 ± 1.6 | 4.5 ± 1.4 |
Values are means ± SDs or percentages (n). All estimates account for cluster randomization by health subcenter. Total n = 4360 for all measurements (n = 2208 for children 6–11 mo of age and n = 2152 for children 12–18 mo of age) except for anthropometric measurements and anemia, for which n = 2838 (n = 1432 for children 6–11 mo of age and n = 1406 for children 12–18 mo of age). The minimum meal frequency was achieved if a breastfed child was fed ≥3 times or a nonbreastfed child was fed ≥4 times the previous day. Minimum acceptable diet was achieved if a breastfed child was fed ≥4 food groups and achieved the minimum meal frequency or if a nonbreastfed child received ≥2 milk feeds, was fed ≥4 food groups, and achieved the minimum meal frequency the previous day.