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Table 1 Socio-demographic factors, anthropometric and medical history of the study participants

From: Serum vitamin D status in children with protein-energy malnutrition admitted to a national referral hospital in Uganda

Characteristic

Non malnourished (n = 41)

Malnourished (n = 117)

Total (n = 158)

P value

Age (months)

 6–11

18 (43.9)

51 (43.6)

69 (43.7)

0.865

 12–17

10 (24.4)

33 (28.2)

43 (27.2)

 18–24

13 (31.7)

33 (28.2)

46 (29.1)

Gender

 Female

19 (46.3)

48 (41.0)

67 (42.4)

0.553

 Male

22 (53.7)

69 (59.0)

91 (57.6)

Median height (IQR) cm

 6–11 months

67.5 (61.0–68.0)

67.0 (64.5–70.0)

 

0.341

 12–17 months

73.6 (72.4–77.5)

70.0 (68.0–73.8)

 

 18–24 months

81.5 (74.0–84.0)

75.0 (72.0–77.5)

 

Median weight (IQR), kg

 6–11 months

7.9 (6.8–8.9)

6.0 (5.5–7.2)

 

<0.001

 12–17 months

10.0 (9.0–11.0)

6.7 (6.0–7.0)

 

 18–24 months

10.4 (95.0–12.0)

8.0 (7.0–8.5)

 

Long standing illness in past 3 months

 Yes

12 (29.3)

52 (44.4)

64 (44.8)

0.027

 No

28 (68.3)

51 (43.6)

79 (55.2)

Feeding type

 Exclusive breast feeding

4 (9.8)

3 (2.6)

7 (4.4)

0.131

 Complimentary feeding

19 (46.3)

52 (44.4)

71 (44.9)

 Only solid foods

18 (43.9)

62 (53.0)

80 (50.6)

  1. There were 117 malnourished and 41 non malnourished children. Twenty-two (53.7 %) of the non malnourished were male and 69 (59.0 %) of the malnourished were male. Non malnourished children aged 6–11 months had a median height of 67.5 cm (61.0–68.0) and a median weight of 7.9 kg (6.8–8.9). There were 52 (44.4 %) of the malnourished who were reported to have a history of a long standing illness in the 3 months prior to admission