Impact of Children's Nutritional Status on Adverse Infection Outcomes

About this Research Topic

Background

Infectious diseases remain a leading contributor to deaths among children under five worldwide—alongside preterm and intrapartum causes—with pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria accounting for a substantial share of under-five mortality. The burden is highly unequal: children in sub-Saharan Africa face markedly higher risks than those in high-income settings, and most global malaria deaths occur in the WHO African Region, predominantly among children under five. In Europe, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major reason for infant hospital admissions, with the heaviest burden in early infancy. These patterns underscore wide geographic heterogeneity in pathogen distribution and clinical impact.

In parallel, child nutrition is experiencing a “double burden”. While stunting and wasting persist in many low-resource contexts, overweight and obesity have risen sharply among school-age children and adolescents. Recent joint estimates from UNICEF/WHO/World Bank document slow progress on undernutrition alongside increasing childhood overweight, and WHO reports a pronounced global rise in overweight (including obesity) among 5–19-year-olds since the 1990s.
Nutrition and infection are biologically intertwined. Protein-energy malnutrition compromises immune development and function—including thymic integrity and T-cell-mediated responses—thereby heightening susceptibility to severe disease and sepsis. Conversely, obesity is characterised by chronic low-grade inflammation and altered adipose–immune crosstalk (for example, excess pro-inflammatory cytokines), which may amplify dysregulated host responses during and after infection.

Within countries, inequalities mirror these global divides. National surveys and cohort analyses from China, for example, show persistent rural disadvantages in linear growth alongside higher overweight/obesity in urban youth—though gaps are evolving over time as lifestyles and food environments change. Such heterogeneity highlights the need for integrated strategies that address both undernutrition and excess adiposity within local health systems.

This Special Issue will synthesise epidemiological evidence and mechanistic insights on how child nutritional status—spanning wasting, stunting, underweight, and overweight/obesity—shapes the risk and severity of infectious diseases. By assembling work from leading groups, we aim to inform policy and clinical practice with actionable, context-specific evidence to reduce severe infections, improve outcomes, and accelerate progress towards child-health-related SDGs.

We invite authors to submit original research, reviews, meta-analyses, and case reports on the following topics:

1. Epidemiology and Disease Burden of Child Nutritional Disorders
Global or regional trends in child malnutrition (wasting, stunting) and overweight/obesity, and their association with infectious diseases (e.g., pneumonia, diarrhoea, sepsis, malaria).

2. Biological Mechanisms Linking Nutritional Abnormalities to Infection Risk
Immune deficiencies caused by malnutrition (e.g., protein-energy deficiency), such as thymic atrophy and impaired T-cell function.
The impact of obesity-related chronic low-grade inflammation (e.g., adipose tissue macrophage infiltration, pro-inflammatory cytokine release) on infection susceptibility.
The role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in the relationship between nutritional abnormalities and infection risk.

3. Impact of Nutritional Status on Severe Infection Outcomes
Differences in severe disease progression, length of hospital stay, and mortality among malnourished or obese children with infections.
The influence of metabolic abnormalities (e.g., insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia) on the prognosis of sepsis, severe pneumonia, and other conditions.
Evaluation of nutritional interventions (e.g., micronutrient supplementation, dietary adjustments) in improving infection outcomes.

4. Nutrition and Infection in Special Populations
Nutrition and health outcomes in preterm/low-birth-weight infants (survival, mortality, quality of life, neurodevelopment, and other short- and long-term outcomes).
Characteristics of antibiotic-resistant infections in children with nutritional abnormalities.
The role of nutritional therapy in rare infectious diseases.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: 1. Epidemiology and Disease Burden of Child Nutritional Disorders

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

  In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my Research Topic?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.