Submissions

Author Guidelines

1. Article Types

Pakistan Journal of Nutrition publishes peer‑reviewed work in human and clinical nutrition, animal nutrition, and basic science related to nutrition. Submissions are welcome in the following formats:

• Original Research Articles presenting new, scientifically sound experiments.

• Review Articles, concise and critical overviews, preferably by invitation or after prior discussion.

• Systematic Reviews, following structured guidelines (e.g. PRISMA).

• Methodology Articles introducing novel or significantly improved experimental or computational methods.

• Communications, brief reports of urgent or important findings, with a statement of significance.

• Letters to the Editor, short opinion pieces (≤1000 words, no abstract, ≤5 references).

• Perspectives, focused overviews of key advances (5–10 journal pages).

2. Manuscript Preparation

a) File Type and Size

Submit manuscripts in .doc or .docx format. Tables and figures may be included in the document or submitted separately as high-resolution .jpg, .png, or .tif files. Keep the total file size below 10 MB.

b) Structure

Organize original research articles using the following sections:

• Title page (title, authors, affiliations, corresponding author contact, ORCiD IDs of all authors)
• Abstract (structured: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusion; ≤300 words)
• Keywords (4–6 terms)
• Introduction
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Acknowledgments (optional)
• Funding Statment
• References
• Tables
• Figure legends

Review, methodology, communications, and perspectives should follow a similar organization or use provided templates. Download the available templates from the following link: 

https://link.com

c) Language and Style

Use clear, concise English. Define all abbreviations at first use and employ SI units consistently.

3. Formatting and Citations

a) In‑Text Citations

Use parenthetical format such as:

• References should be cited within the text using superscript numbers, placed at the end of a sentence or paragraph before punctuation or the full stop¹.

  If citing multiple references that are not in sequence, separate the superscript numbers with commas^1,3,4.

  For consecutive references, use a hyphen between the first and last superscript numbers^3-6.

b) Reference List

Ordered numerically according to the order of appearance in the text (not alphabetical). Format references at the end of the paper following these examples:

Journal Article
Antia B, Akpan E, Okon P, Umoren I. Nutritive and Anti-Nutritive Evaluation of Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) Leaves. Pak J Nutr. 2006;5(2):166-168.

Online Article
Ahmed T, Ali M, Ullah MM, Choudhury IA, Haque ME, Salam MA, et al. Mortality in severely malnourished children with diarrhoea and use of a standardized management protocol. PLoS One [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2025 Jun 11];4(8):e7160. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007160

Book
Gibney MJ, Lanham-New SA, Cassidy A, Vorster HH. Introduction to Human Nutrition [Internet]. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell; 2009 [cited 2025 Jun 11]. Available from: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Introduction+to+Human+Nutrition%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9781405168076

Book Chapter
Dewey KG. Nutrition, growth, and complementary feeding of the breastfed infant. In: Jensen RG, editor. Handbook of Milk Composition [Internet]. San Diego: Academic Press; 1995 [cited 2025 Jun 11]. p. 725–741. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123844518000204

Authors are responsible for accuracy—ensure author names, titles, journal names, volume, page numbers, DOI, and year are correct.

4. Figures and Tables

• Tables: Place on separate pages, numbered consecutively, with clear titles and footnotes.

• Figures: Submit at high resolution (minimum 300 dpi). Number consecutively, include clear captions, and label all axes and units. Cite each figure and table in the text (e.g., “Figure 1 shows…”).

5. Cover Letter

Include a concise cover letter stating:

• The type of submission and its significance

• A statement confirming originality and that the manuscript is not submitted elsewhere

• Contact details of the corresponding author

6. Submission Process

• Register and submit through the PJN online submission system.

• Ensure all authors approve the final manuscript and its submission.

7. Peer Review & Decision

• Manuscripts undergo initial editorial screening and may be returned for formatting corrections.

• Eligible manuscripts proceed to peer review.

• Expect the first decision within approximately 30 days; final decision around 60 days.