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Table 6 The prevalence of anemia, underweight, stunting, and wasting during the study period

From: Multiple micronutrient supplementation improves growth and reduces the risk of anemia among infants in Gaza Strip, Palestine: a prospective randomized community trial

Clinical indicators

Experimental (n = 100) and control groups (n = 100)

Month 12

Month 15

Exp. group

n (%)

Control group

n (%)

Total

n (%)

Exp. group

n (%)

Control group

n (%)

Total

n (%)

Blood hemoglobin level (g/dl)

 Normal blood hemoglobina

71 (71)

46 (46)

117 (58.5)

82 (82)

48 (48)

130 (65)

 Mild anemiab

28 (28)

48 (48)

76 (38)

18 (18)

43 (43)

61 (30.5)

 Moderate anemiac

1 (1)

6 (6)

7 (3.5)

0 (0)

9 (9)

9 (4.5)

 Severe anemiad

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Fisher’s exact test value

  

10.74

  

24.20

p value

  

0.003*

  

< 0.001**

Weight for age (z score)

 Normal weight for agee

100 (100)

95 (95)

195 (97.5)

100 (100)

97 (97)

197 (98.5)

 Moderate underweightf

0 (0)

5 (5)

5 (2.5)

0 (0)

3 (3)

3 (1.5)

 Severe underweightg

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Fisher’s exact test value

  

3.81

  

2.84

p value

  

0.12

  

0.24

Length for age (z score)

 Normal length for agee

100 (100)

91 (91)

191 (95.5)

99 (99)

89 (89)

188 (94)

 Moderate stuntingf

0 (0)

9 (9)

9 (4.5)

1 (1)

11 (11)

12 (6)

 Severe stuntingg

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Fisher’s exact test value

  

7.82

  

11.89

p value

  

0.007*

  

0.002*

Weight for length (z score)

 Normal weight for lengthe

100 (100)

98 (98)

198 (99)

100 (100)

98 (98)

198 (99)

 Moderate wastingf

0 (0)

2 (2)

2 (1)

0 (0)

2 (2)

2 (1)

 Severe wastingg

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

0 (0)

Fisher’s exact test value

  

1.88

  

1.88

p value

  

0.49

  

0.49

  1. NB At baseline, the prevalence of anemia, underweight, stunting, and wasting was zero
  2. * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.001 using Fisher’s exact test
  3. a Hemoglobin: ≥ 11 Gram/deciliter, b: 10 to 10.9 Gram/deciliter, c: 7 to 9.9 Gram/deciliter, d: < 7 Gram/deciliter
  4. e Normal underweight, stunting, or wasting: ≥ −2 SD of the WHO median for WAZ, LAZ, or WLZ
  5. f Moderate underweight, stunting, or wasting: ≥ −3 SD but < −2 SD of the WHO median for WAZ, LAZ, or WLZ
  6. g Severe underweight, stunting, or wasting: < −3 SD of the WHO median for WAZ, LAZ, or WLZ