Early-Life Nutrition and Metabolic Programming in Neonates: Endocrine Function and Related Clinical Outcomes
A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 September 2026 | Viewed by 487
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Preterm infants face high risks of growth delays, nutrient deficiencies, and long-term metabolic and developmental complications. Early-life nutrition plays a critical role not only in supporting immediate growth and organ development but also in shaping metabolic programming, endocrine function, and long-term health trajectories. These outcomes include postnatal growth and body composition, glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, bone and mineral health, hormonal regulation, and later cardiometabolic risk. Evidence-based strategies, including optimized breastmilk feeding, fortification, and targeted supplementation, are essential for improving both short- and long-term outcomes in these high-risk infants.
This Special Issue aims to bring together research that advances understanding of how early nutritional interventions influence metabolic and endocrine pathways, growth, and clinical outcomes in neonates. We are interested in studies that integrate mechanistic, clinical, and population-level perspectives and that provide insights into translating this evidence into practice.
We welcome original research articles, reviews, and clinical guidelines. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Enteral and parenteral nutrition strategies and their effects on growth, body composition, and metabolic stability;
- Nutrition supplementation and fortification approaches and their impact on endocrine and metabolic outcomes (e.g., glycaemic control and bone health);
- Breastmilk feeding, donor milk, and human milk alternatives;
- Early nutritional interventions and later metabolic and cardiometabolic outcomes;
- Nutrigenomics and personalized nutrition strategies in neonates;
- Implementation of nutritional guidelines in neonatal intensive care units;
- Sociodemographic, cultural, and policy factors influencing neonatal nutrition and metabolic programming.
Dr. Luling Lin
Guest Editor
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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
- preterm infants
- neonatal nutrition
- metabolic programming
- endocrine outcomes
- growth and body composition
- breastmilk feeding
- fortification
- supplementation
- parenteral nutrition
- enteral nutrition
- nutrigenomics
- cardiometabolic risk
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
