TABLE 1.
Characteristics of 581 infants assessed for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration 6 weeks and 6 months of age
| Mean ± SD or frequency (%) | |
| Maternal characteristics | |
| Maternal age, y | 25.9 ± 4.9 |
| Education | |
| None | 10 (1.7) |
| Primary | 428 (73.7) |
| Secondary or greater | 140 (24.1) |
| Married/living with partner | 517 (89.0) |
| Prior pregnancies | |
| None | 195 (33.6) |
| 1–3 | 372 (64.0) |
| ≥4 | 11 (1.9) |
| Household asset score | |
| 0–1 | 175 (30.1) |
| 2–3 | 336 (57.8) |
| ≥4 | 66 (11.4) |
| Child characteristics | |
| Male | 279 (48.0) |
| Low birthweight (<2500 g) | 16 (2.8) |
| Prematurity (<37 weeks gestation) | 59 (11.0) |
| Exclusively breastfed at 6 weeks | 390 (67.1) |
| Formula fed at 6 weeks | 15 (2.6) |
| Exclusively breastfed at 6 months | 10 (1.7) |
| No breastfeeding at 6 months | 11 (1.9) |
| Formula fed at 6 months | 14 (2.4) |
| Mean duration exclusive breastfeeding, mo | 2.0 ± 1.7 |
| Mean duration breast-feeding, mo | 15.0 ± 4.6 |
| LAZ at 6 weeks | −0.16 ± 0.99 |
| WLZ at 6 weeks | −0.13 ± 1.21 |
| WAZ at 6 weeks | −0.26 ± 0.88 |
| Randomized regimen | |
| Placebo | 149 (25.7) |
| Zinc | 143 (24.6) |
| Multivitamins | 146 (25.1) |
| Multivitamins + zinc | 143 (24.6) |
| Season at 6 week 25(OH)D assessment | |
| Long rain (December–March) | 187 (32.2) |
| Harvest (April–May) | 94 (16.2) |
| Post-harvest (June–August) | 201 (34.6) |
| Short rain (September–November) | 99 (17.0) |
| Mean 25(OH)D concentration at 6 weeks, ng/mL | 14.5 ± 7.4 |
| Mean 25(OH)D concentration at 6 months, ng/mL | 26.0 ± 8.7 |
LAZ = length-for-age z score; WAZ = weight-for-age z score; WLZ = weight-for-length z score; 25(OH)D = 25-hydroxyvitamin D.