Table 2 Distribution of household contextual characteristics of the study participants segregated by ecological zone

Age of household head (years)

35.0(16.0)

36.6 ± 11.4^b

34.5(14.0)

37.2 ± 11.6^b

45(20.0)

47.2 ± 14.1^a

< 0.001*

Number of children under five

2(1.0)

1.6 ± 0.6^c

2(1.0)

1.9 ± 1.1^b

2(0.0)

2.1 ± 0.5^a

0.0003*

Weight of the child (kg)

9.3(3.5)

9.3 ± 2.2^ab

8.65(4.18)

10.0 ± 9.5^b

10(4.0)

10.1 ± 2.8^a

0.029*

Age of the child (months)

21(18.8)

23.8 ± 12.6^b

18(13.50)

21.4 ± 11.9^b

36(12.0)

30.9 ± 12.1^a

< 0.001*

Height/ length of the child (cm)

79.75(15.3)

79.1 ± 13.7^ab

75.75(14.4)

78.0 ± 11.3^b

85.3(17.6)

79.2 ± 22.0^a

0.005*

Cooking duration (hours)

3(2.0)

3.4 ± 1.9^b

4(1.0)

4.3 ± 1.0^a

4(1.0)

3.4 ± 0.8^b

< 0.001*

Flour storage duration (days)

3(1.0)

3.2 ± 1.1^b

6.5(4.0)

7.5 ± 6.2^a

3(2.0)

3.5 ± 1.5^b

< 0.001*

Household expenses (USD)

12.29(10.0)

19.6 ± 29.0^a

13.66(10.7)

14.9 ± 9.6^a

5.46(8.1)

7.2 ± 6.7^b

< 0.001*

Caregiver’s age (years)

27(26.0)

33.6 ± 21.3^a

8(3.0)

7.4 ± 6.9^c

12(33.5)

25.7 ± 24.3^b

< 0.001*

Age at introduction of complementary foods (months)

6(0.0)

6.2 ± 1.0^a

6(0.0)

5.9 ± 1.1^ab

6(0.0)

5.8 ± 0.8^b

0.045*

Categories

(%)

(%)

(%)

 Sex of the child

Male

49.1

52.8

0.879

Female

50.9

47.2

 Education level of caregiver

Primary and above

30.9

5.6

< 0.001*

No formal education

69.1

94.4

 Occupation of household head

Crop farmer

67.3

49.4

< 0.001*

Others^a

32.7

50.6

 Group membership of the parent

(Yes)

32.7

24.7

0.390

 Training on child feeding practices

At least once

34.5

60.7

< 0.001*

Never

65.5

39.3

 Drinking water treatment

Treated by boiling or tablets

21.8

13.5

< 0.001*

Not treated

78.2

86.5

 Consumption of leftover food

More than 1 day

34.5

10.1

< 0.001*

Same day

65.5

89.9

 Sun drying of utensils

(Yes)

25.5

21.3

< 0.001*

 Breastfeeding

(Yes)

61.8

44.9

0.001*

 Washing of the child’s hand before feeding

Always

34.5

4.5

< 0.001*

Rarely and never

65.5

95.5

 Caregiver hand washing after using latrine

Always

78.2

25.8

< 0.001*

Rarely and never

21.8

74.2

 Diarrhoea in the last 14 days

(Yes)

27.3

57.3

0.001*

Latrine ownership

(Yes)

16.4

15.7

0.161

Cereals storage (Sacks)

(Yes)

56.4

75.3

< 0.001*

Cereals storage (Granary)

(Yes)

34.5

23.6

< 0.001*