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Children
Special Issues
Infant and Early Childhood Nutrition (2nd Edition)
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Infant and Early Childhood Nutrition (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2025) | Viewed by 981

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Elena Capra

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Pediatrics and Neonatology Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, 29121 Piacenza, Italy
Interests: lipid metabolism; cardiovascular disease prevention; nutrition; childhood metabolic diseases; feeding disorders and nutrition in inborn errors of metabolism; nutrition in premature babies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giacomo Biasucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Pediatrics and Neonatology Unit, Guglielmo da Saliceto Hospital, 29121 Piacenza, Italy
2. Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
Interests: infant and pediatric nutrition; inborn errors of metabolism; feeding and eating disorders of childhood; pediatric dyslipidemia; pediatric gut microbiota; pediatric food allergy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nutrition is an important factor in the development of infants and children, especially in critical developmental stages such as breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Furthermore, it is an epigenetic factor that can modify the natural history of numerous non-communicable diseases. Moreover, nutrition in critical development stages can also facilitate taste development and food-related behavior.

Considering the success and popularity of the Special Issue "Infant and Early Childhood Nutrition", previously published in the journal Children (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/special_issues/QP4482RGJ5), we are now set to release a second Special Issue that aims to address this topic by inviting scholars to share their findings, perspectives, and approaches, with the aim of addressing nutritional issues in infancy and early childhood. Qualitative or quantitative contributions from basic or applied research that will advance the knowledge on key topics within this field are welcomed.

Dr. Maria Elena Capra
Dr. Giacomo Biasucci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nutrition
  • infancy
  • early childhood
  • prevention
  • breastfeeding
  • complementary feeding

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 1906 KB  
Article
Dietary Patterns and Feeding Behavior of Infants in Croatia: Findings from the National Food Consumption Survey on Infants and Children
by Ana Ilić, Ivana Rumbak, Martina Pavlić, Nataša Šarlija, Lidija Šoher, Daniela Čačić Kenjerić, Jasna Pucarin-Cvetković and Darja Sokolić
Children 2025, 12(9), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12091125 - 26 Aug 2025
Viewed by 612
Abstract
Background/Objectives: To prevent nutritional depletion and impaired weight status in infants, targeted public health policies and prevention programs based on scientific evidence are needed. This study provides an overview of the dietary patterns and feeding behavior of infants in Croatia as part [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: To prevent nutritional depletion and impaired weight status in infants, targeted public health policies and prevention programs based on scientific evidence are needed. This study provides an overview of the dietary patterns and feeding behavior of infants in Croatia as part of the National Food Consumption Survey on Infants and Children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted following the EU Menu methodology and included 322 healthy infants (54% boys; aged 3 months up to 12 months) from Croatia. Two-day dietary records were collected and analyzed using NutriCro 2.0 software. Results: The daily energy intake of infants was on average 886 ± 219 kcal, mainly from carbohydrates (47.0%), followed by fat (41.6%) and protein (9.9%). The main sources of energy and macronutrients were milk and dairy products, grains, grain products, potatoes and tubers and the fruit food group. One third of infants were breastfed, and more than 70% of infants were introduced to complementary foods. Parents started complementary feeding at the age of 5.37 ± 0.82 months, mostly with vegetables. Breastfeeding was associated with higher energy intake, especially in infants younger than 6 months, while formula feeding was associated with lower energy intake. The multivariate regression models showed age-related interactions that attenuated the patterns for energy and macronutrient intake. Conclusions: The study emphasizes that milk and dairy products are the main source of energy and macronutrients. The study highlights the important role of breastfeeding in promoting higher energy intake in early infancy and the decreasing effect of infant formula consumption with age. These results can be used as a basis for health policies, programs and strategies that address infant feeding habits in Croatia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Infant and Early Childhood Nutrition (2nd Edition))
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