What is the impact factor of Nutrients?

Nutrients has an impact factor of 5.0 (2024). This places it as a respected journal with Nutrients published by MDPI is an open-access journal covering all aspects of nutrition science.

How long does Nutrients take to review?

Nutrients typically takes ~60-90 days median. The full review process involves 5 main stages: manuscript preparation, submission via mdpi system, and peer review.

How much does it cost to publish in Nutrients?

Nutrients charges ~$2,300 CHF as an article processing charge. This fee covers open access publication costs and makes your work freely available to readers worldwide.

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Nutrients Impact Factor 5.0: Publishing Guide

Q: What is the acceptance rate of Nutrients?

Nutrients has an acceptance rate of ~50-60%. A common reason for rejection is laboratory nutrient biochemistry without health outcome evidence. Test tube or cell culture studies of nutrient chemistry lacking health implications are less competitive. Show how nutrient affects human health or disease.

Q: Is Nutrients peer reviewed?

Yes, Nutrients is fully peer reviewed. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review by 2-3 nutrition experts assess study design, statistical validity, mechanistic plausibility, and health significance. First decision 60-90 days..

Q: What does Nutrients look for in submissions?

Novel finding on nutrient or dietary pattern health effects: Present research revealing new understanding of nutrition and health. Does nutrient improve disease outcome? Does dietary pattern prevent disease? Show clear health benefit with mechanism.

Nutrition science: from micronutrients to dietary patterns advancing health

5.0

Impact Factor (2024)

~50-60%

Acceptance Rate

~60-90 days median

Time to First Decision

What Nutrients Publishes

Nutrients published by MDPI is an open-access journal covering all aspects of nutrition science. With JIF 5.0 and Q2 ranking in Nutrition & Dietetics, Nutrients emphasizes research on nutrient function, dietary patterns, and health outcomes. The journal publishes research on micronutrients, macronutrients, bioactive compounds, and nutritional epidemiology. Critically: Nutrients values research with clear health relevance. Pure biochemistry of nutrient metabolism without health context is less competitive. The journal seeks papers showing how nutrients or dietary patterns affect human health.

Micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, trace elements, bioavailability
Macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate, lipid metabolism and health
Bioactive compounds: polyphenols, carotenoids, phytosterols, functional ingredients
Dietary patterns: Mediterranean diet, DASH, plant-based, traditional diets
Nutritional epidemiology: dietary intake assessment, dietary patterns and disease
Sports nutrition: nutrient needs for athletic performance and recovery
Clinical nutrition: nutritional support in disease, dietary interventions
Nutrigenomics: gene-nutrient interactions, personalized nutrition

Editor Insight

“Nutrients publishes research advancing nutrition science and health. We seek studies with clear health relevance, rigorous design, and mechanistic understanding. The best papers show how nutrients or dietary patterns improve health outcomes through understood biological mechanisms.”

What Nutrients Editors Look For

Novel finding on nutrient or dietary pattern health effects

Present research revealing new understanding of nutrition and health. Does nutrient improve disease outcome? Does dietary pattern prevent disease? Show clear health benefit with mechanism.

Rigorous study design with appropriate sample size and controls

Randomized controlled trials or well-designed observational studies with adequate statistical power. Proper control groups and appropriate outcome measures. Methodological rigor essential.

Mechanistic understanding of how nutrient affects health

Explain biological pathways. How does nutrient improve health? What biochemical mechanisms are involved? Mechanism plus association stronger than correlation alone.

Real food or dietary pattern validation, not isolated nutrients

Studying whole foods or realistic dietary patterns more relevant than isolated nutrient supplements. Food synergies and whole-diet effects important for nutrition.

Practical dietary recommendation or health application

Connect findings to actual dietary guidance. What should people eat? How much is beneficial? Practical application increases impact.

Why Papers Get Rejected

These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Nutrients's editorial review:

Laboratory nutrient biochemistry without health outcome evidence

Test tube or cell culture studies of nutrient chemistry lacking health implications are less competitive. Show how nutrient affects human health or disease.

Observational association without mechanistic explanation

Documenting correlation between dietary intake and disease outcome is baseline. Nutrients expects mechanism: how does nutrient prevent disease? Mechanism strengthens impact.

Short-term intervention without demonstrating sustained health benefit

Long-term health effects more significant than short-term changes. Studies with sustained intervention or follow-up showing lasting benefit more competitive.

Testing isolated supplements without relevant dietary context

Supplement studies less compelling than whole-food or dietary pattern research. Foods contain multiple bioactive compounds with synergistic effects.

Health claims without rigorous statistical support

Nutritional epidemiology prone to confounding. Show robust associations accounting for known confounders. Proper statistical adjustment essential.

Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?

The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against Nutrients's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.

Run Free Readiness Scan →

Insider Tips from Nutrients Authors

Bioactive compound food sources and bioavailability increasingly competitive

Research on polyphenols, carotenoids, or other phytonutrients in foods, bioavailability, and health benefits aligns with functional food and nutraceutical interest.

Dietary pattern studies showing disease prevention or health promotion valued

Whole-diet approaches (Mediterranean, plant-based, DASH) showing cardiovascular, metabolic, or cognitive benefits receive strong reception.

Microbiome and gut health nutrition research trending

Research on how nutrients shape microbiota composition and how microbiota-derived metabolites affect health increasingly competitive.

Personalized nutrition and nutrigenomics gaining prominence

Studies on gene-nutrient interactions enabling personalized dietary recommendations increasingly competitive as precision medicine expands.

Sustainable and plant-based protein research increasingly relevant

Research on plant protein quality, sustainable protein sources, and plant-based diet adequacy increasingly important for environmental and health reasons.

The Nutrients Submission Process

Manuscript preparation

Prep

5,000-8,000 words with 5-7 figures. Include nutrient/dietary pattern description, study design and sample characteristics, outcome measurement, results with statistical analysis, mechanistic discussion, and health implications. Supporting: dietary assessment methods, biochemical analysis details, additional outcomes.

Submission via MDPI system

Day 0

Submit at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients/submit. Required: manuscript emphasizing nutrition novelty and health significance, figures showing nutrient/dietary effects, cover letter highlighting health implications.

Editorial assessment

1-2 weeks

Editor assesses study novelty, health relevance, and methodological rigor. Papers lacking health context or clear relevance face lower priority. Moderate desk rejection ~15-25%.

Peer review

60-90 days

2-3 nutrition experts assess study design, statistical validity, mechanistic plausibility, and health significance. First decision 60-90 days.

Revision and publication

Revision: 2-4 weeks

Revisions often request additional mechanism explanation or clearer health application. Publication 1-3 weeks after acceptance (fast MDPI OA publishing).

Nutrients by the Numbers

2024 Impact Factor	5.9
5-Year Impact Factor	6.2
Acceptance rate	~50-60%
Desk rejection rate	~15-25%
Median first decision	~75 days
Open access APC	~$2,300 CHF
Publisher	MDPI
Founded	2017

Before you submit

Nutrients accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.

The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to Nutrients. ~30 minutes.

Run Free Readiness Scan See a sample report

Article Types

Research Article

5,000-8,000 words

Nutrition study with health outcomes and mechanism

Review

7,000-12,000 words

Nutrition topic review

Short Note

2,500-4,000 words

Brief nutrition finding

Landmark Nutrients Papers

Papers that defined fields and changed science:

Mediterranean diet studies (ongoing) - cardiovascular and metabolic benefits
Vitamin D and immune function (2000s+) - nutrient roles in immunity
Polyphenols and antioxidant action (1990s+) - plant compound mechanisms
Probiotics and microbiome (2010s+) - gut-health connections
Sustainable nutrition and plant-based diets (2010s+) - environmental health link

Preparing a Nutrients Submission?

Get pre-submission feedback from reviewers who've published in Nutrients and know exactly what editors look for.

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Primary Fields

Dietary PatternsMicronutrientsBioactive CompoundsNutritional EpidemiologyClinical NutritionSports Nutrition

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