Table 1 Socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics of 400 SAM children and 30 healthy controls

Male sex

230 (58)

18 (60)

0.78

Age, months

17 (± 8.5)

27 (± 13.5 )

< 0.001

Anthropometry

 Mid-upper-arm circumference, cm

11.6 (± 1.5)

15.2 (± 1.3)

< 0.001

 Weight-for-height/length Z-scores

-2.6 (± 1.5)

0.6 (± 1.1)

< 0.001

 Height/length-for-age Z-scores

-3.1 (± 1.4)

-1.2 (± 1.8)

< 0.001

 Birth weight, kg

3.3 (± 0.82)

3.6 (± 0.7)

0.23

Breastfed

 Currently

54 (14)

12 (40)

0.001

Maternal factors

 Lives with child

317 (81)

25 (83)

0.26

 Education ^a

211(54)

12 (40)

0.30

 Married/cohabiting

212 (55)

23 (77)

0.01

 HIV positive

109 (34)

2 (6)

< 0.001