Baseline characteristics of the children
| RTUF n = 69 | RTUF supplement n = 96 | Maize/soy n = 117 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous variables expressed as mean (SD), dichotomous as number (%). No significant differences in any of the characteristics were found between the three groups. | |||
| Boys | 42 (61%) | 56 (58%) | 69 (59%) |
| Age, mth | 29 (13) | 28 (14) | 29 (13) |
| Oedema during hospitalisation | 56 (81%) | 77 (80%) | 98 (84%) |
| Length of hospital stay, days | 13 (9) | 14 (8) | 11 (5) |
| Weight-for-age z score | −3.4 (1.3) | −3.6 (1.1) | −3.4 (1.0) |
| Height-for-age z score | −3.5 (2.0) | −3.7 (1.6) | −3.6 (1.3) |
| Weight-for-height z score | −1.8 (0.8) | −2.0 (0.9) | −1.9 (1.0) |
| Mid-upper arm circumference, cm | 12.0 (1.7) | 11.9 (1.5) | 11.9 (1.8) |
| Mother alive | 65 (94%) | 89 (93%) | 111 (95%) |
| Father alive | 64 (93%) | 83 (86%) | 106 (91%) |
| Age weaned from the breast, mth | 19 (7) | 20 (7) | 19 (7) |
| Unprotected source of water (well/stream) | 20 (29%) | 15 (16%) | 20 (17%) |
| Grass used as roofing material | 41 (55%) | 58 (60%) | 68 (59%) |