Table 1 Comparison of participants' and non-participants' characteristics (n = 902), Agincourt, South Africa (2007)

Child Characteristics

Child age in years [mean (SD)] ¹

2.3 (1.1)

2.5 (1.1)

0.012

Child Sex (%)

   Boys

48.9

50.2

0.732

   Girls

51.1

49.8

Birth weight [mean (SD)]

3.0

3.1

0.161

Birth weight categories (%)

   Low; <2.5 kg

9.4

10.3

0.706

Normal; 2.5 kg

90.6

89.7

Maternal Characteristics

Mother's age (%)

   15-24

41.6

31.4

   25-34

40.7

42.0

0.005

   35+

17.7

26.2

Mother's Nationality (%)

   South African

68.6

66.1

0.496

   Mozambican

31.4

33.9

Mother's Education (%)

   None

10.7

13.3

0.580

Less than completed secondary

65.6

62.6

   Secondary & Tertiary

23.7

24.2

Mother Union Status (%)

   Currently in union

46.3

47.7

0.719

   Not in union

53.7

52.3

Mother co-residence

   Co-residing

96.1

96.9

0.575

   Not co-residing

3.9

3.1

Delivery place (%)

   Health facility

87.3

84.6

0.340

   Home

12.7

15.4

Household Characteristics

Household head Age

   15-34

13.5

11.1

   35-49

38.0

42.4

0.406

   50+ years

48.5

46.6

Household head Sex

   Male

62.0

65.1

0.396

   Female

38.0

34.9

Household head Education

   None

47.0

41.1

   Less than completed secondary

36.4

45.8

0.061

   Secondary & Tertiary

16.7

13.1

Relationship to child

   Parent

32.9

42.7

   Grandparent

50.7

44.8

0.026

   Other

16.5

12.5

Food Security

   Enough

78.1

80.0

0.566

   Not enough

21.9

20.0

SES Tertiles

   Most poor

42.7

39.6

   Middle

26.4

31.7

0.336

   Least poor

30.9

28.8

Area of Residence

   Mainly South African village

91.3

92.6

0.554

   Mainly Mozambican village

8.7

7.5