Table 1 Relationship between inflammation and demographic characteristics of children, age 1–5 years, in the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Mean age (years)

3.2 (3.0, 3.4)

2.8 (2.5, 3.0)

0.016

Sex (% male)

54.3

43.1

0.075

Night blind (%)

9.5

8.9

0.83

Hospitalized in last year (%)

0

23.6

11.0

0.024

1–2

44.7

43.2

3–4

18.7

31.4

5+

13.0

14.4

Mean number of people living in house

11.4 (10.1, 12.7)

11.3 (10.1, 12.4)

0.62

Currently breastfeeding (%)

14.3

18.9

0.33

Presence of a vegetable garden at home (%)

32.2

32.8

0.93

Mean hemoglobin (g/L)

119 (108, 112)

109 (106, 110)

0.19

Hemoglobin <110 g/L (%)

31.7

43.8

0.05

Mean retinol (μmol/L)

0.66 (0.61, 0.72)

0.52 (0.47, 0.58)

0.0005

Retinol <0.70 μmol/L (%)

52.0

67.5

0.013