Table 1 Comparison of baseline characteristics between children who completed the follow-up and those who were lost to follow-up

Male child

85 (53.1%)

10 (62.5%)

0.473 ^†

Nuclear family

74 (46.3%)

9 (56.3%)

0.445 ^†

Hindu religion

88 (55%)

9 (56.3%)

0.924 ^†

Median (IQR) birth weight (in kg) *

2.9 (2.6-3.2)

2.9 (2.5-3.2)

0.790 ^‡

Normal vaginal delivery

139 (86.9%)

15 (93.8%)

0.697 ^§

Birth in a hospital/health-care facility

157 (98.1%)

16 (100%)

1.000 ^§

Median (IQR) age (in months) at introduction of supplementary feeding

4.7 (3.6-5.7)

3.9 (2.5-5.4)

0.225 ^‡

Median (IQR) family size

5 (4–7)

5 (3.5-7)

0.138 ^‡

Presence of siblings

111 (69.4%)

8 (50%)

0.114 ^†

Median (IQR) age of the mother (in years)

24 (22–26)

24 (21.5-26)

0.967 ^‡

Median (IQR) years of completed maternal education

8 (3.5-10)

8 (6.5-10)

0.243 ^‡

Median (IQR) years of completed education of the head of the household

5 (0–8)

6.5 (2.5-8)

0.277 ^‡

Presence of cow in the house

14 (18.8%)

0 (0%)

0.370 ^§

Presence of any animal in the house

47 (29.4%)

3 (18.8%)

0.562 ^§

Living in a “kutcha” house

31 (19.4%)

3 (18.8%)

1.000 ^§

Low socio-economic status

106 (66.3%)

11 (68.8%)

0.840 ^†

Firewood as the primary cooking mode

83 (51.9%)

7 (43.8%)

0.535 ^†

Presence of a functional toilet within the house ^¶

98 (61.6%)

4 (66.7%)

1.000 ^§

Good household hygiene

44 (27.5%)

3 (18.8%)

0.564 ^§