Study design, setting and recruitment of participants
congenital abnormalities
WEST, DISEASES
The basis of this study was the baseline assessment of a 6-month randomised controlled trial (RCT) of an egg daily as a complementary food to infants aged 6 to 9-months, living in the peri-urban Jouberton Klerksdorp, City of Matlosana, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, North West Province, South Africa. With an area of 19 kmMother-infant pairs were recruited mainly at household level using information sheets, posters and pamphlets. Mothers who were willing to take part in the study were invited to the central study site for consent, screening, and enrolment. Infants were eligible to take part in the study if they were 6 to < 9-months of age, and if they resided in the study area. Infants were excluded if they had severe obvious congenital abnormalities, haemoglobin (Hb) < 7 g/dL, a weight-for-length Z-score less than − 3, self-reported diseases referred for hospitalisation by a health professional, known allergies/intolerances to eggs, were receiving special nutritional supplements as part of a feeding programme, and if not born as a singleton. Infants were also excluded if the mother had plans to move out of the study area in the next 9 months and if the mother was below 18 years old at the start of the study.