2.8. Statistical Analyses
Descriptive statistics of the means and standard deviations are presented for each continuous outcome measure and as N (%) for categorial outcomes. Comparisons between trial arms at T1 (i.e., baseline) for continuous outcomes (age, weight, height, mid upper arm circumference (MUAC), weight for age z-score, height for age z-score, BMI for age z-score and RCPM) were undertaken using linear mixed-effects models, with the group modelled as a fixed factor and random intercepts by participants. A Pearson chi-square test of independence was also used to undertake bivariate cross-tabulation comparisons in the number of males/females between the three trial arms. Probability values for the chi-square analysis were calculated using Monte Carlo simulation.Furthermore, to contrast the magnitude of the changes in the RCPM from T1 (baseline) to T2 (midpoint) and T3 (endpoint) between the three trial arms, linear mixed-effects models, with the group modelled as a fixed factor and random intercepts by participants, were adopted adjusted for covariate baseline scores, age and gender [