Table 1 General characteristics of study households (n = 406), children (n = 538) and dietary data in Borana, southern Ethiopia, August – October 2015

Child characteristics

Age of children

in months

32.68 ± 15.25

Sex

girls

0.50 ± 0.50

WAZ

Z-score

-1.45 ± 1.03

HAZ

Z-score

-1.66 ± 1.27

WHZ

Z-score

-0.74 ± 1.03

Illness occurrence

Yes

32.0 %

Dietary diversity score

Count

2.7 ± 0.87

Milk frequency

Count

4.3 ± 1.16

Meal frequency

Count

2.3 ± 1.10

Mother characteristics

Age of mothers

in years

29.39 ± 7.93

Mother education

literate

12.5 %

Polygamy

Yes

10.0 %

Decision making on resources

Yes

17.7 %

Hand washing after toilet use

Yes

71.1 %

Hand washing before food preparation

Yes

69.7 %

Received advice from health workers

Yes

83.0 %

Household characteristics

Major livestock

cattle

61.7 %

Family size

number

6.59 ± 2.35

Lactating animals

in TLU*

2.49 ± 1.92

Livestock species diversity

number

2.93 ± 0.80

Off-farm income

Yes

24.7 %

Crop cultivation

Yes

88.0 %

Protected water source

Yes

16.2 %

Water treatment practices

Yes

27.1 %

Own toilet

Yes

61.9 %

Own radio

Yes

35.3 %

Own mobile phone

Yes

66.7 %

Travel time to market‡

hours

2.3 ± 3.25

Travel time to health facility‡

hours

1.1 ± 0.76

Travel time to water source‡

hours

1.4 ± 0.65