Table 1.

Description and the median (measurement scale) for each independent variable

Variable (number of options)	Description of answer options (median)
Fathers' knowledge of the consequences of malnutrition (number of options = 11, median = 1)	Refers to weight loss, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases(illness), delayed development (stunting or low height for age), reduced intellectual development and learning, attention deficit disorder, impaired school performance, memory deficiency, learning disabilities, reduced social skills, reduced language development and reduced problem‐solving abilities
Fathers' knowledge of important things to keep the child healthy (number of options = 11, median = 2)	Refers to breastfeeding soon after birth, exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age, beginning supplementary food at 6 months, timely and full immunisations, going to a doctor if the child gets sick, supplementary vitamins, clean house, clean water, clean food, adequate food, balanced diet, washing hands with soap before eating, more money to buy food and keeping the child clean
Fathers' knowledge of food groups (number of options = 7, median = 4)	Refers to grains (barley, wheat, corn), roots and tubers (potato, sweet potato), legumes and nuts (lentils, peas, beans), dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese), flesh foods (meat, fish, poultry and organ meats like: liver, kidney, heart), eggs, vitamin A‐rich fruits (ripe mango, ripe papaya, pumpkins) and vegetables (which comes from green leafy vegetables like carrot, tomato) and other fruits and vegetables
Fathers' knowledge of child care (number of options = 8, median = 2)	Refers to appropriate child feeding (breastfeeding, complimentary feeding), keeping the child clean (keeping the child's hygiene), spending time with the child (playing with the child, looking after the child when the mother is not around), helping mothers in child care (changing cloths, bathing the child, putting the child to sleep), taking the child to health facilities (for vaccination, growth monitoring, in case of illness), giving money to the mother to purchase necessary things for the child (food, cloths, any materials), buying/bringing necessary things (meat, fruits, cloth) for the child from the market/town/and discussing the child's health‐related issues with the mother
Fathers' practice in routine childcare activities (number of options = 7, median = 4)	Refers to if they changed their children's clothes on the previous day; if they bathed their children on the previous day; if they put their children to sleep on the previous day; if they played with their children at home on the previous day; if they took out their children on the previous day; if they took part in monitoring (watching) while their children played, moved, sat, stood, slept, etc., on the previous day; and if they took part in teaching their children how to behave and disciplining them on the previous day
Fathers' practice in child provision (number of options = 7, median = 5)	Refers to if the fathers quieten their children when crying or calmed them after the children fell or had pain; if they discussed their children's feeding with the mothers; if they discussed their children's health, hygiene, growth and appetite with the mothers; if they looked after their children when the mothers were not around (working in the kitchen, going out), all within a week time; if they took their children to health facilities for vaccination, growth monitoring and other related services in the previous month; if they gave money to the mothers to purchase the necessary food for the children during the last week; and finally, if they checked, asked, were concerned about and attentive about their children's growth during the last month
Fathers' participation in child feeding (number of options = 7, median = 5)	Refers to if fathers bought necessary food items for their children like eggs, meat, milk, fruits and vegetables during the last weekday from market/town; if they checked upon, asked or attended to the amount of food their children took on the previous day; whether they checked upon/asked about or attended to their children's frequency of meal on the last day; whether they tried to encourage their children to take food while the mothers were feeding them during the last day; if they checked, asked about or attended to the diversity of the food their children took during the last day; and if they checked, asked about or attentively observed their children's appetite on the last day