Table 4 Bivariable and multivariable regression results of MAD for children aged 6–23 months at Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021(n = 738)

Age of mother in years

 18–26

14(15.4%

77(84.6%

1

1

 27–31

90(18.0%

409(82.0%

1.21(0.65–2.23)

1.17(0.57–2.43)

 32–43

39(26.4%

109(73.6%

1.97 (1.00–3.87)

1.79(0.72–4.50)

Marital status

 Married

138(2.4%

539(79.6%

2.87 (1.23–7.29)

4.13(1.29–13.23)

 Unmarried

5(8.2%

56(91.8%

1

1

Mother Educational status

 Unable to read and write

11(16.2%

57(83.8%

1

1

 read and write

15(28.8%

37(71.2%

2.10 (0.87–5.07)

2.07(0.72–5.98)

 Primary (1—8)

27(14.6%

158(85.4%

0.89 (0.41–1.90)

1.06(0.42–2.68)

 Secondary (9 -12)

42(15.8%

223(84.2%

0.98(0.47–2.01)

1.25(0.49–3.12)

 Certificate and above

48(28.6%

120(71.4%

2.07(1.00–4.29)

2.63(0.96–7.16)

Mother occupation

 House wife

90(18.1%

407(81.9%

1.68(0.84–3.38)

1.24 (0.55–2.80)

 Government

26(27.4%

69(72.6%

2.86(1.29–6.37)

0.77(0.29–2.05)

 Merchant

17(28.3%

43(71.7%

3.00(1.26–7.14)

2.42(0.86–6.76)

 Private

10(11.6%

76(88.4%

1

1

Wealth index

 Poor

17(7.1%

223(92.9%

1

1

 Middle

47(19.1%

199(80.9%

3.09(1.72–5.57)

3.25 (1.69–6.22)

 Rich

79(31.3%

173(68.7%

5.99(3.42–10.49))

4.39 (2.26–8.50)

HFSA

 Insecure

18(13.3%

117(86.7%

1

1

 Secure

125(20.7%

478(79.3%

1.70(0.99–2.89)

1.50(0.78–2.89)

Age of the child in months

 6–11

24(9.9%

218(90.1%

1

1

 12–17

41(18.3%

183(81.7%

2.03(1.18–3.49)

2.66(1.43–4.92)

 18–23

78(28.7%

194(71.3%

3. 65 (2.22–6.00)

5.39(2.93–9.95)

Sex of the child

 Female

75(21.5%

274(78.5%

1

1

 Male

68(17.5%

321(82.5%

0.77(0.54–1.11)

0.75 (0.49–1.15)

Birth order

 First

56(18.7%

243(81.3%

1

1

 Second

38(16.0%

200(84.0%

0.82(0.52–1.29)

0.87(0.50–1.49)

 Third and Above

49(24.4%

152(75.6%

1.39(0.91–2.16)

0.86(0.46–1.60)

Currently breast feed

 No

30(34.5%

57(65.5%

1

1

 Yes

113(17.4%

538(82.6%

0.39(0.24–0.65)

0.81(0.44–1.51)

Postnatal care

 No

56(13.9%

347(86.1%

1

1

 Yes

87(26.0%

248(74.0%

2.17(1.49–3.16)

1.52(0.95–2.43)

Time of CF initiation

 Before 6 month

50(24.3%

156(75.7%

1

1

 At 6 month

86(17.8%

396(82.2%

0.68(0.46–1.01)

0.75(0.46–1.20)

 After 6 month

7(14.0%

43(86.0%

0.51(0.21–1.20

0.98(0.36–2.67)

Nutrition information

 No

64(13.5%

414(86.5%

1

1

 Yes

79(30.0%

184(70.0%

2.76(1.89–4.00)

1.68 (1.01–2.81)

complementary feeding demonstration

 No

93(15.0%

527(85.0%

1

1

 Yes

50(42.4%

68(57.6%

4.18(2.72–6.38)

1.98(1.05–3.74)

Other than child ASF consumption

 No

130(18.4%

578(81.6%

1

1

 Yes

13(43.3%

17(56.7%

3.40(1.61–7.17)

1.99(0.77–5.15)

Other than child any time consumption

 No

42(14.1%

256(85.9%

1

1

 Yes

101(23.0%

339(77.0%

1.82(1.22–2.69)

1.79 (1.13–2.83)