Dear Colleagues,

The impacts of modifiable environmental, nutritional and lifestyle factors on pubertal development, gonadal function and fertility have previously been reported.

Puberty is an indicator of adequate nutrition and growth. In addition to genetic predispositions (race/ethnicity), the pathological timing of puberty can be influenced by inappropriate nutritional status (under- and overnutrition) and  exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors. On the one hand, patients with disorders related to pubertal development  are prone to developing gonadal dysfunction of various kinds, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, at a young age, with influences on reproductive function and fertility. On the other hand, the direct impacts of lifestyle behaviors (smoking, diet and exercise, alcohol consumption) and nutritional elements on gonadal function and reproductive performance have also been described.

This Special Issue focuses on the influences of lifestyle, environmental factors and nutrition in regulating timing of puberty, maintaining gonadal function and protecting fertility and their effects on the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the disturbance of the HPG axis and gonadal disfunction in both sexes.

New research papers, narrative and systemic reviews and case reports are welcome for submission to this Special Issue. Other acceptable manuscript types include editorials, methodological papers, position papers, brief reports and commentaries.

Clinicians and researchers are invited to submit relevant contributions representing work conducted in both clinical and research fields to this Special Issue on the “Influences of lifestyle, nutrition and environment on puberty, reproductive function and fertility in children and adolescents”.

Prof. Dr. Gianvincenzo Zuccotti
Dr. Valeria Calcaterra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• gonads
• lifestyle
• environmental
• nutrition
• children
• adolescents
• ovarian function
• fertility
• puberty
• reproductive function