Table 1.

Definitions of variables.

	Variable	Definition
Outcomes
	Height-for-Age z-score	Height minus median height of child same age (months) and gender in reference population divided by standard deviation of height in reference population. Reference population is WHO, 2006 Child Growth Standards.
	Stunted	1 if Height-for-Age z-score < -2, 0 otherwise
Proximal determinants
	Poor age-appropriate feeding	1 if poorly fed the previous day, 0 otherwise. Poorly fed: …. 0–5 months – option 1: not breastfed but complementary feeding and/or milk-based liquids; option 2) breastfed plus milk-based liquids and/or complementary feeding – but also allows water-based liquids to have been consumed. ….6–23 months – complementary feeding from 0 to 1/7 food groups
	Partial age-appropriate feeding	1 if partially appropriately fed the previous day, 0 otherwise. Partially appropriately fed: …. 0–5 months – breastfed plus water based liquids. …. 6–23 months –complementary feeding from 2 to 3/7 food groups
	Recommended age-appropriate feeding	1 if appropriately fed the previous day, 0 otherwise. Appropriately fed: …. 0–5 months – exclusively breastfed (breast milk only, but allows for oral rehydration salts). ….6–23 months – complementary feeding from  ≥  4/7 food groups
	Mother received iron supplements	1 if mother received iron tablets or syrup during pregnancy and took it for at least 1 day, 0 otherwise
	No symptoms of diarrhea	1 if child reported not to have had any symptoms of diarrhea in the past two weeks, 0 otherwise
	Full immunization	1 if child aged 12–23 months received BCG, measles and three doses of polio and DPT, either verified by card or by recall of mother in the first 2 life years, 0 otherwise. Polio given at time of birth does not count towards ‘full immunization’.
	Deworming medication	1 if child aged 12–23 months received deworming medication in past 6 months, 0 otherwise.
Distal determinants
	Mother had 1-3 ANC visits	1 if birth preceded by 1–3 antenatal care (ANC) visits from any skilled personnel, 0 otherwise
	Mother had 4+ ANC visits	1 if birth preceded by at least 4 antenatal care (ANC) visits from any skilled personnel, 0 otherwise
	Delivered by skilled birth attendant	1 if birth attended by any skilled personnel, 0 otherwise
	Mother has any education	1 if mother had any education, 0 otherwise.
	Father has any education	1 if father/step-father had any education, 0 otherwise.
	Wealth index in top 60%	1 if household wealth index in top 60% of distribution, 0 otherwise.
	Surface water source (unimproved)	1 if surface water (unimproved) is source of drinking water, 0 otherwise
	Other unimproved water source (other than surface water)	1 if unimproved water other than surface water is source of drinking water, 0 otherwise.
	Improved water source	1 if improved water (per WHO guidelines) is source of drinking water, 0 otherwise.
	Open defecation (unimproved)	1 if no sanitation facilities (per WHO guidelines), 0 otherwise
	Other unimproved sanitation facility (other than open defecation)	1 if unimproved sanitation facilities other than open defecation, 0 otherwise.
	Improved sanitation facility	1 if improved sanitation facilities (per WHO guidelines), 0 otherwise.
	Have livestock	1 if household owns livestock, 0 otherwise
	Birth order	Birth order of child
	Birth interval >24 months	1 if child born more than 24 months after previous birth of mother, 0 otherwise
	Mother taller than 150 cm	1 if mother taller than 150 cm, 0 otherwise
	Mother's age at birth (in years)	Mother's age at child's birth in years
	Urban	1 if child lives in urban area, 0 otherwise
	Region	Household's region of residence. The regions are country-specific.
	Wet season	1 if interview conducted in wet season, 0 otherwise
	Child's age	Child's age in months grouped in 6-month categories: (1) 0–5 months, (2) 6–11 months, (3) 12–17 months, (4) 18–23 months.
	Child is male	1 if child is male, 0 otherwise

Unless otherwise noted, all children are under the age of 2, all mothers are aged 15 to 49 and had a birth in the past 2 years. Data on feeding, antenatal care and iron supplements only collected for the youngest child.