Table 4 Baseline characteristics of the participated infants in the two groups^b

 Family size (n)

5.85 ± 2.35

5 ± 1.77

0.33

 Family income (NIS)^c

1275 ± 818.06

1000 ± 724.31

0.07

 Number of under-five children (n)

2.01 ± 0.76

2 ± 0.52

0.18

 Age (years)

28..41 ± 5.86

28.4 ± 5.10

0.70

 Body mass index

26.54 ± 5.33

26.64 ± 4.36

0.19

 Mother’s education (years)

13.18 ± 2.89

12 ± 3.01

0.54

 Mother’s working status (%)

0.07

 Working

6 (6)

15 (15)

 Housewives

94 (94)

85 (85)

 Age (months)

6.28 ± 0.10

6.24 ± 0.09

0.08

 Gender (%)

0.86

  Male

52 (52)

51 (51)

  Female

48 (48)

49 (49)

 Birth weight (kg)

3.44 ± 0.33

3.41 ± 0.32

0.55

 Gestational age (weeks)

38.31 ± 0.71

38.37 ± 0.68

0.59

 Infant currently breastfeeding (%)

92 (92)

96 (96)

0.31

 Weight (kg)

7.57 ± 0.79

7.65 ± 0.72

0.47

 Length (cm)

66.20 ± 1.87

66.11 ± 1.92

0.75

 Weight-for-age (z score)

−0.12 ± 0.92

0.01 ± 0.93

0.47

 Length-for-age (z score)

−0.25 ± 0.85

− 0.28 ± 0.97

0.79

 Weight-for-length (z score)

0.11 ± 1.01

0.28 ± 1.25

0.35

 Blood hemoglobin (g/dl)

11.42 ± 0.35

11.44 ± 0.37

0.78

 Total energy (kcal/day)

656 ± 164

696 ± 167

0.11

 Iron (mg/day)

7.51 ± 7.40

7.90 ± 8.55

0.75

 Vitamin A (mcg/day)

299.70 ± 120.31

264.32 ± 161.19

0.10

 Vitamin D (mcg/day)

3.24 ± 2.6

3.85 ± 3.03

0.16