Table 5 Adjusted β coefficients (95% confidence interval) for the associations of household, maternal and child dietary diversity scores and tertiles of dietary pattern scores with childhood height-for-age z score in Ethiopia, 2014

 Dietary diversity score

<=4

> = 5

P value

AIC (BIC)

Reference

0.03 (−0.80, 0.14)

0.624

12,722 (12850)

 Dietary patterns

T1

T2

T3

P for trend

AIC (BIC)

  Pattern 1 (“fish, meat and miscellaneous”)

Reference

−0.01 (−0.15, 0.12)

−0.07 (−0.21, 0.07)

0.312

12,466 (12600)

  Pattern 2 (“egg, meat, poultry and legume”)

Reference

−0.001 (−0.14, 0.13)

−0.03 (−0.19, 0.12)

0.681

12,467 (12601)

  Pattern 3 (“dairy, vegetable and fruit”)

Reference

0.07 (−0.07, 0.20)

0.16 (0.02, 0.30)*

0.026

12,462 (12597)

 Dietary diversity score

<=4

> = 5

P value

AIC (BIC)

Reference

0.03 (−0.10, 0.16)

0.672

12,722 (12851)

 Dietary patterns

T1

T2

T3

P for trend

AIC (BIC)

  Pattern 1 (“plant-based”)

Reference

0.07 (−0.07, 0.20)

0.09 (−0.06, 0.23)

0.229

12,564 (12699)

  Pattern 2 (“egg, meat, poultry and legume”)

Reference

−0.17 (−0.31, −0.04)*

−0.16 (−0.30, −0.02)*

0.025

12,558 (12693)

  Pattern 3 (“dairy, vegetable and fruit”)

Reference

0.06 (−0.07, 0.20)

0.10 (−0.05, 0.25)

0.229

12,564 (12698)

 Dietary diversity score

<=3

> = 4

P value

AIC (BIC)

Reference

−0.26 (−0.61, 0.78)

0.130

3107 (3196)

 Dietary patterns

T1

T2

T3

P for trend

AIC (BIC)

  Pattern 1 (“grain-based”)

Reference

0.07 (−0.18, 0.32)

−0.20 (−0.50, 0.10)

0.290

3124 (3219)

  Pattern 2 (“egg, meat, poultry and legume”)

Reference

0.03 (−0.30 (0.32)

−0.02 (−0.27, 0.24)

0.892

3127 (3222)

  Pattern 3 (“dairy, vegetable and fruit”)

Reference

−0.001 (−0.25, 0.25)

0.02 (−0.27, 0.32)

0.890

3128 (3222)

 Dietary diversity score

<=3

> = 4

P value

AIC (BIC)

Reference

0.12 (−0.02, 0.27)

0.095

7641 (7748)

 Dietary patterns

T1

T2

T3

P for trend

AIC (BIC)

  Pattern 1 (“grain-based”)

Reference

0.08 (−0.09, 0.25)

0.04 (−0.14, 0.21)

0.685

7663 (7776)

  Pattern 2 (“egg, meat, poultry and legume”)

Reference

0.13 (−0.3, 0.30)

−0.05 (−0.23, 0.13)

0.668

7659 (7772)

  Pattern 3 (“dairy, vegetable and fruit”)

Reference

−0.03 (−0.20, 0.14)

0.22 (0.06, 0.39)**

0.007

7654 (7766)

 Dietary patterns

T1

T2

T3

P for trend

AIC (BIC)

  Pattern 1 (“grain-based”)

Reference

0.10 (−0.04, 0.25)

−0.04 (−0.19, 0.11)

0.643

10,746 (10871)

  Pattern 2 (“egg, meat, poultry and legume”)

Reference

−0.07 (−0.7, 0.21)

−0.02 (−0.17, 0.13)

0.841

10,748 (10874)

  Pattern 3 (“dairy, vegetable and fruit”)

Reference

−0.02 (−0.16, 0.13)

0.19 (0.04, 0.33)*

0.014

10,741 (10867)