Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of mothers and their children enrolled in the triala
| Placebo (n=508) |
Zinc only (n=494) |
Multivitamins only (n=507) |
Multivitamins plus zinc (n=497) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternal characteristics | ||||
| Age, y | 26.5 ± 5.0 | 26.9 ± 5.2 | 26.2 ± 5.1 | 26.2 ± 5.0 |
| Formal education | ||||
| None | 6 (1.2) | 8 (1.6) | 7 (1.4) | 7 (1.4) |
| 1–7 y | 380 (75.1) | 351 (71.3) | 354 (70.5) | 362 (73.0) |
| ≥ 8 y | 120 (23.7) | 133 (27.0) | 141 (28.1) | 127 (25.6) |
| Employment | ||||
| Housewife without income | 324 (64.2) | 309 (63.7) | 289 (57.5) | 291 (59.2) |
| Housewife with income | 148 (29.3) | 141 (29.1) | 178 (35.4) | 170 (34.6) |
| Other | 33 (6.5) | 35 (7.2) | 36 (7.2) | 31 (6.3) |
| Marital status | ||||
| Married or cohabitating with partner | 450 (89.5) | 439 (89.6) | 461 (91.8) | 446 (90.3) |
| Prior pregnancies | ||||
| None | 151 (29.8) | 137 (27.9) | 176 (35.0) | 153 (30.9) |
| 1–4 | 336 (66.4) | 343 (69.9) | 317 (63.0) | 328 (66.3) |
| ≥ 5 | 19 (3.8) | 11 (2.2) | 10 (2.0) | 14 (2.8) |
| Mid-upper arm circumference, cm | 27.0 ± 3.1 | 27.1 ± 3.1 | 27.0 ± 3.1 | 26.7 ± 3.3 |
| Daily food expenditure per person in household is < 1000 TSh | 129 (26.7) | 130 (27.9) | 136 (28.0) | 148 (31.1) |
| Household possessionsb | ||||
| None | 145 (28.9) | 160 (32.8) | 143 (28.5) | 154 (31.1) |
| 1–3 | 300 (59.3) | 251 (51.4) | 278 (55.4) | 274 (55.4) |
| ≥ 3 | 61 (12.1) | 77 (15.8) | 81 (16.1) | 67 (13.5) |
| Child characteristics | ||||
| Age at randomization, wk | 5.9 ± 0.4 | 5.9 ± 0.4 | 5.9 ± 0.4 | 5.9 ± 0.4 |
| Male sex | 249 (49.0) | 252 (51.0) | 241 (47.5) | 257 (51.7) |
| Low birth weight, <2500 g | 13 (2.59 | 21 (4.3) | 17 (3.4) | 16 (3.3) |
| Born < 37 weeks gestational age | 59 (12.8) | 72 (15.7) | 54 (11.6) | 57 (12.5) |
| Born < 34 weeks gestational age | 12 (2.6) | 12 (2.6) | 12 (2.6) | 20 (4.4) |
| Born small for gestational age, <10th percentile | 38 (8.5) | 38 (8.4) | 44 (9.7) | 39 (8.7) |
| Any breastfeeding, mo | 13.3 ± 5.9 | 13.6 ± 5.7 | 13.3 ± 5.8 | 13.0 ± 5.8 |
| Exclusive breastfeeding, mo | 1.8 ± 1.5 | 1.9 ± 1.5 | 1.9 ± 1.6 | 1.9 ± 1.6 |
a
Values are means ± SD or n (%). There were no differences in any baseline characteristics between groups (all p values > 0.05).
b
From a list that includes sofa, television, radio, refrigerator, and fan.