Table 1 Baseline Characteristics in a longitudinal sample of 527 Nepalese infants 6–11 months old

Child characteristics:

 Mean Age of child (months), mean (SD)

8 (1.8)

 Male child, n (%)

270 (51.2%)

 Birth weight (grams), mean (SD)

2781.8 (500.0)

 Preterm birth, n (%)

57 (10.8%)

 Low birth weight (< 2500 gm), n (%)

105 (19.9%)

 Hospitalized prior to enrolment, n (%)

52 (9.9%)

Nutritional status of infants:

 Underweight (weight for age Z score ≤ 2), n (%)

104 (19.7%)

 Stunting (length for age Z score ≤ 2), n (%)

174 (33.1%)

 Anaemia (haemoglobin < 110 g/L), n (%)

337 (63.9%)

Demographic features:

 Mother’s age, mean (SD)

27.7 (4.6)

 Literacy of mother, n (%):

  a. Illiterate or up to grade 5

186 (35.2%)

  b. Grade 5 to 10

102 (19.4%)

  c. SLC to grade 12

134 (25.4%)

  d. Bachelor

82 (15.6%)

  e. Master or above

23 (4.4%)

 Literacy of father^*, n (%):

  a. Illiterate or up to grade 5

184 (34.9%)

  b. Grade 5 to 10

116 (22.0%)

  c. SLC to grade 12

130 (24.7%)

  d. Bachelor

65 (12.3%)

  e. Master or above

31 (5.9%)

Family staying in joint family, n (%)

269 (51.0%)

Family residing in rented house, n (%)

237 (45.0%)

Kitchen and bedroom in the same room, n (%)

247 (46.9%)