TABLE 2.
Nutritional and demographic characteristics of malnourished Malawian pregnant women enrolled in a supplemental feeding trial, by treatment group1
| Characteristic | RUSF, n = 613 | CSB+ with UNIMMAP, n = 605 | CSB+ with IFA, n = 610 | P 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 21.5 ± 5.4 | 21.3 ± 5.0 | 21.9 ± 5.5 | 0.21 |
| First pregnancy | 300 (49) | 285 (47) | 268 (44) | 0.20 |
| Household food insecurity3 | 0.14 | |||
| Secure | 25 (4) | 29 (5) | 33 (5) | |
| Mild | 23 (4) | 25 (4) | 29 (5) | |
| Moderate | 115 (19) | 123 (20) | 132 (22) | |
| Severe | 450 (73) | 427 (71) | 416 (68) | |
| Clean water source used | ||||
| Borehole | 430 (70) | 425 (70) | 438 (72) | 0.78 |
| Tap | 73 (12) | 69 (11) | 68 (11) | 0.91 |
| Education, y | 0.89 | |||
| None | 64 (10) | 61 (10) | 71 (12) | |
| 1–3 | 94 (15) | 102 (17) | 89 (15) | |
| 4–6 | 224 (37) | 218 (36) | 231 (38) | |
| 7–8 | 148 (24) | 158 (26) | 147 (24) | |
| Secondary | 79 (13) | 63 (10) | 69 (11) | |
| Tertiary | 4 (1) | 3 (1) | 2 (0.3) | |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 19.6 ± 1.4 | 19.8 ± 1.3 | 19.7 ± 1.3 | 0.35 |
| MUAC, cm | 22.3 ± 0.6 | 22.3 ± 0.6 | 22.3 ± 0.6 | 0.56 |
| Height, cm | 154.3 ± 5.5 | 154.0 ± 5.9 | 154.3 ± 5.7 | 0.47 |
| Stature, height <145 cm | 28 (5) | 38 (6) | 25 (4) | 0.19 |
| Triceps skinfold, mm | 9.3 ± 2.3 | 9.4 ± 2.3 | 9.2 ± 2.3 | 0.24 |
| Fundal height, cm | 22.3 ± 5.7 | 22.6 ± 5.3 | 22.8 ± 5.4 | 0.21 |
| HIV infection | 64 (10) | 60 (10) | 70 (11) | 0.67 |
1
Values are expressed as means ± SDs or n (%). CSB+, fortified corn-soy blend; IFA, iron and folic acid (standard of care); MUAC, midupper arm circumference; RUSF, ready-to-use supplemental food; UNIMMAP, UN International Multiple Micronutrient Preparation.
2
P values were calculated with one-factor ANOVA (continuous measures) and the chi-square test (categorical measures).
3
The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to categorize participants by level of household food insecurity.