Table 1 Baseline demographic and cooking characteristics by intervention arms among pregnant women in south Gondar zone, northwestern Ethiopia

Maternal age at entry, yrs (Mean ± SD)

29.2 ± 5.3

-

28.6 ± 5.1

-

0.244

 18–24

35

16.7

44

21.0

0.451

 25–31

99

47.1

99

47.1

 32–38

76

36.2

67

31.9

Marital status, n( %)

 currently married

201

95.3

204

96.7

0.458

 currently not married

10

4.7

7

3.3

Maternal education level, n( %)

 unable to read and write

142

67.3

123

58.3

0.073

 read and write only

42

19.9

62

29.4

 primary and above grade

27

12.8

26

12.3

Paternal education level, n ( %)

 unable to read and write

92

43.6

72

34.1

0.080

 read and write only

74

35.1

95

45.0

 primary and above grade

45

21.3

44

20.9

Family size, Mean, SD

4.7 + 1.6

-

4.7 + 1.5

-

0.952

 < 5 occupants

95

45.0

96

45.5

0.500

 >= 5 occupants

116

55.0

115

54.5

Had under-five children

 yes

85

40.3

91

43.1

0.622

 no

126

59.7

120

56.9

GA at entry (weeks), Mean ± SD

17.8 ± 3.8

-

18.1 ± 3.8

-

0.501

Birth order

 primigravida

22

10.4

12

5.7

0.074

 multigravida

198

89.6

199

94.3

Prior miscarriage

 yes

36

17.1

33

15.6

0.793

 no

175

82.9

178

84.4

Dietary diversity scores, mean (SD)

3.9 + 0.9

-

3.8 + 0.9

-

0.154

 adequate (≥ 5 food groups)

53

25.1

48

22.7

0.324

 inadequate (< 5 food group)

158

74.9

163

77.3

Currently, alcohol drinking

 yes

112

53.1

99

46.9

0.461

 no

119

56.4

91

43.1

BMI (kg/m2), mean (SD)

20.9 ± 2.3

-

20.8 ± 1.9

-

0.518

Asset index, n(%)

 low

68

32.2

71

34.1

0.387

 medium

77

36.5

63

30.3

 high

66

31.3

74

35.6

Cooking time spent, hrs, mean (SD)

2.7 ± 0.9

-

2.8 ± 0.9

-

0.558

Number of ANC visits mean (SD)

1.9 ± 0.9

1.9 ± 0.7

0.952

Drinking water sources, n(%)

 improved

57

27.0

62

29.4

0.333

 unimproved

154

73.0

149

70.6

Sanitation facility, n(%)

 improved

48

22.7

57

27.0

0.284

 unimproved

163

77.3

154

73.0

Handwashing facility, n(%)

 yes

36

17.1

34

16.1

0.448

 no

175

82.9

177

83.9