Author Guidelines

1. General Information

Al GIZZAI: Public Health Nutrition Journal is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal dedicated to the publication and dissemination of high-quality research in public health nutrition. The journal aims to advance scientific knowledge, inform evidence-based nutrition policies, and support effective interventions to improve nutritional health at individual, community, and population levels.

The journal welcomes scientifically rigorous, original, and relevant manuscripts addressing nutritional epidemiology, maternal and child nutrition, food security, dietary behaviors, nutrition-related diseases, nutrition education, food environments, nutrition policies, and sustainable food systems.

Submissions should demonstrate scientific originality, methodological rigor, and clear implications for public health nutrition research, policy, or practice. Particular attention is given to studies addressing vulnerable populations, nutritional inequalities, community-based interventions, and emerging public health nutrition challenges.

Authors are encouraged to review the journal's Focus and Scope and previously published articles before preparing their manuscripts.

All submitted manuscripts must comply with these Author Guidelines and the journal's publication ethics policies. Manuscripts that do not meet the requirements may be returned for technical revision or rejected during the initial editorial screening.

2. Types of Manuscripts

The journal primarily publishes original research articles and may consider additional article categories according to its editorial policies and submission sections.

 2.1. Original Research Articles

Original Research Articles present findings from empirical investigations that make a substantial contribution to public health nutrition. Eligible research designs include:

• Cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, and longitudinal studies.
• Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies.
• Community-based and population-based nutrition studies.
• Qualitative and mixed-methods research.
• Nutrition intervention and program evaluation studies.
• Nutrition policy and implementation research.
• Applied nutritional science research with clear public health implications.

Original research should present a clearly defined research question, an appropriate study design, transparent methodology, valid analytical procedures, and conclusions supported by the findings. Recommended length: 4,000–6,000 words, excluding the abstract, references, tables, figures, and supplementary materials.

 2.2. Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses critically synthesize available scientific evidence to address clearly formulated questions relevant to public health nutrition. Systematic reviews should describe a reproducible search strategy, eligibility criteria, study selection, data extraction, quality appraisal, and synthesis methods. Meta-analyses should additionally explain the statistical methods used to combine findings, assess heterogeneity, and evaluate potential publication bias when applicable. Authors must follow the relevant PRISMA reporting guidelines. Recommended length: Up to 8,000 words, excluding references and supplementary materials.

 2.3. Scoping Reviews

Scoping Reviews systematically identify and map existing evidence, research approaches, and knowledge gaps in a specific area of public health nutrition. Scoping reviews should follow an established methodological framework and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR).

Recommended length: Up to 8,000 words, excluding references and supplementary materials.

 2.4. Short Communications

Short Communications present concise but scientifically important findings from completed research. These manuscripts should contain a clearly defined objective, adequate methodological information, essential results, and a focused discussion of their relevance to public health nutrition. Recommended length: Up to 2,000 words, excluding references, with no more than three tables and/or figures. 

2.5. Policy Analysis and Scientific Commentaries

Policy Analysis articles and Scientific Commentaries examine emerging issues, developments, and challenges in nutrition policy, public health programs, food systems, and population health. Submissions should be supported by credible scientific evidence and provide constructive insights for policy development, public health practice, or future research. Recommended length: Up to 2,500 words.

The acceptance of article categories other than Original Research Articles is subject to editorial approval and their availability in the journal's submission system.

3. General Manuscript Preparation

Authors must prepare manuscripts according to the official journal template and the following formatting requirements.

 3.1. Manuscript Format

• Page size: A4 (210 × 297 mm).
• Margins: 2.0 cm on all sides.
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt.
• Line spacing: 1.5 throughout the main manuscript.
• Layout: Single-column format.
• Text alignment: Justified, except where otherwise specified in the journal template.
• Page numbering: Consecutive Arabic numerals.
• File format: Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx).
• Units: International System of Units (SI).
• Tables and figures: Numbered consecutively according to their first appearance in the manuscript.

Authors should use consistent terminology, abbreviations, units, and formatting throughout the manuscript. All abbreviations must be defined at first mention, except internationally recognized standard abbreviations.

3.2. Language Requirements

Manuscripts should be written in clear, accurate, and grammatically correct academic English or Indonesian, in accordance with the journal's language policy. Authors are strongly encouraged to use precise scientific terminology and avoid unnecessarily complex sentences, ambiguous expressions, and unsupported claims. Regardless of the language of the main manuscript, the title, abstract, and keywords must be provided in both English and Indonesian. Authors submitting manuscripts in English are responsible for ensuring that the language is suitable for international scientific communication. Language editing services may be used when necessary; however, the use of such services does not guarantee acceptance.

 3.3. Scientific and Reporting Quality

Manuscripts must provide sufficient methodological and analytical detail to enable readers to assess the validity, reliability, and reproducibility of the findings. Authors should avoid overstating conclusions, making unsupported causal interpretations, or extending findings beyond the population and design investigated.

4. Manuscript Organization

Original Research Articles should be organized in the following order:

1. Title
2. Author Information and Affiliations (separate title page when required)
3. Abstract and Keywords
4. Introduction
5. Methods
6. Results
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion
9. Recommendations or Public Health Implications (when applicable)
10. Acknowledgments
11. Funding Statement
12. Conflict of Interest Declaration
13. Author Contributions
14. Ethical Approval and Informed Consent
15. Data Availability Statement
16. References
17. Tables, Figures, and Supplementary Materials

Systematic reviews, qualitative studies, and other manuscript categories may adopt a structure appropriate to their methodology while maintaining transparent reporting and compliance with the journal's requirements.

5. Detailed Manuscript Structure

5.1. Title

The title must accurately and concisely reflect the principal subject, population, and research focus of the manuscript. The title should:

• Contain no more than 12 words, where feasible.
• Be written in both English and Indonesian.
• Avoid unnecessary abbreviations, acronyms, and technical jargon.
• Be informative, specific, and scientifically accurate.
• Reflect the principal variables, intervention, outcome, or research context where appropriate.

Titles should avoid exaggerated claims, unnecessary geographical details, and conclusions not supported by the study design.

 5.2. Author Information and Affiliations

Each author must provide:

• Full name without academic titles or professional degrees.
• Institutional affiliation, including department, faculty, institution, city, and country.
• Valid institutional or professional email address.
• ORCID iD, where available or required by the journal.
• Identification of the corresponding author.

The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the editorial office, manuscript submission, responding to reviewers, and ensuring that all authors approve the submitted and revised versions. Where different authors belong to different institutions, their affiliations must be clearly identified using superscript numbers. To facilitate double-anonymous peer review, author-identifying information should be placed on a separate title page and removed from the manuscript file submitted for review.

 5.3. Abstract

The abstract must provide a concise and accurate summary of the study and should be understandable without reference to the full manuscript.

Original Research Articles should include a structured abstract of no more than 250 words in each language. The recommended headings are: Objective: State the principal research objective or question. Design: Identify the research design and methodological approach. Setting: Describe the geographical, institutional, or community setting. Participants: Identify the study population and sample size, where applicable. Results: Present the principal findings, including relevant quantitative estimates or qualitative themes. Conclusions: Summarize conclusions supported by the results and their implications for public health nutrition.

For studies where these headings are not applicable, authors may use the following structured format: Background, Objective, Methods, Results, and Conclusion.

The abstract must not contain references, unexplained abbreviations, tables, figures, or unsupported conclusions. Abstracts for systematic reviews should summarize the research question, data sources, eligibility criteria, synthesis methods, principal findings, and conclusions.

 5.4. Keywords

Authors must provide three to five keywords in both English and Indonesian. Keywords should accurately represent the central research concepts and improve discoverability in bibliographic databases and search engines. Authors are encouraged to select internationally recognized terminology, including Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), where appropriate. Keywords should be arranged alphabetically and separated by semicolons.

5.5. Introduction

The Introduction should establish the scientific and public health relevance of the research. It should include:

1. A concise overview of the nutritional or public health problem.
2. Relevant epidemiological evidence demonstrating the magnitude or significance of the problem.
3. A critical summary of previous research.
4. Identification of scientific limitations, inconsistencies, or knowledge gaps.
5. An explanation of the novelty and expected contribution of the study.
6. A clear statement of the research objective, question, or hypothesis.

Authors are encouraged to use recent and credible scientific evidence, including national or international nutritional surveillance data where relevant.

The Introduction should explain why the study matters for public health nutrition rather than merely describing a local nutritional problem. Extensive literature reviews, unnecessary historical descriptions, and results from the present study should be avoided.

 5.6. Methods

The Methods section must contain sufficient information to permit critical assessment and, where applicable, replication of the study. The following information should be reported.

a. Study Design: Specify the research design and justify its suitability for addressing the research objectives.

b. Study Setting and Period: Describe the study location, institutional or community context, and period of data collection.

c. Study Population and Participants: Explain the target population, eligibility criteria, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and participant recruitment procedures.

d. Sample Size and Sampling Procedures: Describe the sample size determination, sampling framework, recruitment strategy, and measures taken to minimize selection bias. Where applicable, explain the assumptions used in calculating sample size, including anticipated effect size, statistical power, and significance level.

e. Study Variables and Operational Definitions: Clearly define the exposure, outcome, intervention, explanatory, and confounding variables. Explain the operational definitions and measurement criteria used.

f. Data Collection and Measurement: Describe the data collection procedures and instruments, including questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, dietary assessment methods, biochemical tests, or observational techniques. For dietary assessment studies, authors should report the methods used, such as 24-hour dietary recalls, food frequency questionnaires, food records, or other validated instruments. Where applicable, describe dietary assessment validity, anthropometric standardization, measurement reliability, laboratory quality control, and the use of recognized reference standards.

g. Intervention Procedures: For intervention studies, describe the intervention content, duration, frequency, delivery procedures, comparison groups, implementation fidelity, and outcome evaluation.

h. Statistical Analysis: Describe the statistical software and analytical methods used. Authors should report:

• Descriptive statistical procedures.
• Inferential tests and model specifications.
• Methods for controlling confounding variables.
• Procedures for handling missing data.
• Approaches to model diagnostics and sensitivity analyses, where relevant.
• The selected significance level.
• Effect estimates and confidence intervals, where appropriate.

Statistical analyses must be appropriate for the research design, data distribution, and objectives.

i. Ethical Considerations: Studies involving human participants must report ethical approval or a formally documented exemption, including the relevant ethics committee and approval reference number, where applicable. Procedures for obtaining informed consent and protecting participant confidentiality must be described.

5.7. Results

The Results section should present the principal findings in a clear, objective, and logically organized manner. Results should be reported according to the research objectives and should include relevant descriptive and analytical findings. Authors are encouraged to report:

• Characteristics of study participants.
• Participant recruitment, exclusions, and missing data.
• Nutritional status, dietary intake, or other principal variables.
• Relevant comparisons between groups.
• Associations, intervention effects, or qualitative themes.
• Appropriate measures of uncertainty.

For quantitative studies, effect estimates should be accompanied by confidence intervals where applicable. P-values should be reported accurately and should not be the sole basis for interpreting findings.

For qualitative research, major themes should be supported by appropriately selected evidence while maintaining confidentiality.

Tables and figures should complement rather than duplicate the narrative. Interpretations, literature comparisons, and policy recommendations should be reserved primarily for the Discussion.

 5.8. Discussion

The Discussion should critically interpret the findings in relation to existing scientific evidence and their implications for public health nutrition. It should address the following components:

a. Principal Findings: Summarize the most important findings directly related to the research objectives.

b. Comparison With Previous Research: Compare the findings with relevant national and international studies, highlighting agreements, differences, and possible explanations.

c. Scientific Interpretation: Explain potential biological, behavioral, socioeconomic, environmental, or contextual mechanisms underlying the findings.

d. Public Health Nutrition Relevance: Discuss the contribution of the findings to nutritional epidemiology, community nutrition, nutrition programs, health promotion, dietary behavior, or nutrition policy.

e. Strengths and Limitations: Identify the methodological strengths and limitations of the study, including possible selection bias, information bias, measurement error, residual confounding, and limitations to generalizability.

f. Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice: Explain how the findings may inform future research, nutrition interventions, public health strategies, or evidence-based policy decisions.

Authors must distinguish observed associations from causal effects and interpret results according to the limitations of their research design. The Discussion should not simply repeat numerical results or make claims unsupported by the available evidence.

5.9. Conclusion

The Conclusion should concisely answer the research question and highlight the most important scientific contribution. It should:

• Directly reflect the reported findings.
• Avoid introducing new information.
• Avoid repeating the abstract or discussion.
• Acknowledge uncertainty where relevant.
• Explain the principal implications for public health nutrition.

The Conclusion should generally consist of one or two concise paragraphs.

5.10. Recommendations and Public Health Implications

Where relevant, authors may provide practical recommendations based on the study findings. Recommendations should identify realistic and evidence-based actions for public health practitioners, nutrition professionals, researchers, policymakers, communities, or relevant institutions. Recommendations must be proportional to the strength of the evidence and should not exceed the scope of the study. Authors are encouraged to distinguish between immediate programmatic implications, policy considerations, and priorities for future research.

6. Reporting Guidelines for Different Study Designs

Authors are expected to follow internationally recognized reporting guidelines appropriate to their research methodology.

Study Design	Recommended Reporting Guideline
Randomized controlled trials	CONSORT
Observational studies, including cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies	STROBE
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses	PRISMA
Scoping reviews	PRISMA-ScR
Qualitative research	SRQR or COREQ, as appropriate
Study protocols	SPIRIT or PRISMA-P, as appropriate
Diagnostic accuracy studies	STARD
Economic evaluation studies	CHEERS
Quality improvement studies	SQUIRE

The most appropriate and current version of the reporting guideline should be used.

Authors should submit the relevant completed reporting checklist when requested by the editorial office. Compliance with a reporting guideline does not replace the need for appropriate study design, ethical conduct, or sound scientific analysis.

7. Tables, Figures, and Supplementary Materials

7.1. Tables

Tables must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numerals and cited in the manuscript. Each table should have a concise, informative title and be understandable independently of the main text. Tables should:

• Present only relevant data.
• Avoid unnecessary vertical lines.
• Use consistent decimal places and units.
• Define abbreviations in footnotes.
• Clearly identify statistical measures.
• Avoid duplicating information presented in figures or the narrative.

7.2. Figures

Figures, graphs, diagrams, and other illustrations must be numbered consecutively and cited in the text. Each figure must have a descriptive caption explaining its content. Figures should be clear, legible, and suitable for publication. Labels, legends, and symbols must remain readable at the intended publication size. Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted figures or illustrations.

7.3. Number of Tables and Figures

A maximum of five tables and figures combined is recommended for Original Research Articles, consistent with the journal's existing manuscript requirements. Additional materials may be submitted as supplementary files when necessary and permitted by the editorial office.

7.4. Supplementary Materials

Supplementary materials may include additional tables, methodological details, questionnaires, research instruments, extended analyses, or other information that supports the manuscript. Supplementary materials should be clearly labeled and referenced in the main text. Authors must ensure that supplementary files do not contain personally identifiable participant information unless appropriate consent and permissions have been obtained.

8. References and Citation Style

Al GIZZAI: Public Health Nutrition Journal uses the American Psychological Association (APA), Seventh Edition, referencing style.

All references cited in the manuscript must appear in the reference list, and every entry in the reference list must be cited in the manuscript.

8.1. Reference Requirements

For full-length Original Research Articles, authors should generally provide at least 25 relevant references, in accordance with the journal's existing reference requirements. The majority of references should:

• Originate from peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Include primary research directly related to the study.
• Reflect current scientific evidence, preferably published within the preceding ten years.
• Include relevant international literature when appropriate.
• Provide accurate bibliographic information and DOI links when available.

At least 80% of references should preferably consist of primary scientific sources, consistent with the journal's existing reference policy. Older landmark studies, established theoretical frameworks, and authoritative methodological references may be included when scientifically necessary.

Reference requirements for reviews, short communications, and commentaries should be adjusted according to article type and editorial policy. Authors should avoid excessive self-citation, irrelevant references, unreliable websites, and citations that do not support the associated claims.

8.2. In-Text Citations

Citations must follow APA Seventh Edition author–date conventions. Examples:

One author: (Smith, 2023)

Two authors: (Smith & Jones, 2023)

Three or more authors: (Smith et al., 2023)

Narrative citation: Smith et al. (2023) reported that...

Multiple citations within the same parentheses should follow APA requirements.

8.3. Reference List

References must be arranged alphabetically by the surname of the first author.

Authors should follow APA Seventh Edition requirements concerning author names, publication years, article titles, journal titles, volume and issue numbers, pagination, and DOI or URL formatting.

Reference management software such as Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote is strongly recommended. Every reference should be verified against its original source before submission.

9. Research Ethics

Al GIZZAI: Public Health Nutrition Journal is committed to maintaining integrity, transparency, and ethical standards in scientific publication.

The journal follows internationally recognized principles of publication ethics, including relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

9.1. Ethical Approval

Research involving human participants, identifiable personal information, biological specimens, or other ethically sensitive procedures must comply with applicable national and international ethical requirements. Authors must provide details of approval obtained from an appropriate research ethics committee or institutional review board.

Where a study has received an ethics exemption or waiver, the justification and responsible authority should be clearly identified. An absence of ethical review must not be presented as an exemption unless the exemption has been appropriately determined.

9.2. Informed Consent

Authors must describe the procedures used to obtain informed consent when required. For studies involving children or individuals unable to provide independent consent, appropriate parental, guardian, or legally authorized representative consent must be obtained according to applicable regulations. Participant privacy, confidentiality, autonomy, and welfare must be protected throughout the research process.

9.3. Clinical Trial Registration

Interventional clinical trials should be prospectively registered in a publicly accessible, recognized trial registry in accordance with applicable international standards. The registry name and registration number should be included in the manuscript. Authors should explain discrepancies between registered and reported outcomes where relevant.

9.4. Originality and Research Integrity

All manuscripts must represent genuine, original scientific work. The following practices are prohibited:

• Fabrication or falsification of research data.
• Plagiarism and inappropriate text reuse.
• Duplicate or redundant publication.
• Simultaneous submission to multiple journals.
• Undisclosed manipulation of research findings.
• Misrepresentation of authorship or contributions.
• Selective reporting intended to mislead readers.
• Inappropriate alteration or manipulation of images.

Authors are responsible for maintaining accurate research records and responding appropriately to legitimate editorial inquiries regarding the integrity of their work.

10 Similarity Screening and Plagiarism Policy

Submitted manuscripts are subject to originality and similarity screening using Turnitin or other appropriate similarity-checking software. In accordance with the journal's currently published policy, the similarity index should be below 20%. However, a similarity percentage is a screening indicator rather than proof that a manuscript is free from plagiarism. Editorial decisions will also consider the nature, extent, and context of matching text, including quotations, methodological terminology, references, and previously published material. Manuscripts containing plagiarism, improper attribution, substantial redundant publication, or other serious integrity concerns may be rejected regardless of the overall similarity percentage. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all borrowed ideas, text, data, figures, and other materials are appropriately acknowledged.

11. Authorship and Author Contributions

Authorship must reflect genuine intellectual contributions to the research. Authors are expected to satisfy the principles established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), including:

1. Making substantial contributions to the research conception, design, data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.
2. Participating in drafting the manuscript or critically revising its intellectual content.
3. Approving the final version for publication.
4. Accepting accountability for the integrity and accuracy of the work.

All individuals who meet the authorship criteria should be appropriately credited. Contributors who do not satisfy the full criteria should be acknowledged rather than listed as authors.

11.1. Author Contributions Statement

Authors should provide a statement identifying the contribution of each author. The Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) is recommended. Examples of contribution categories include:

• Conceptualization
• Methodology
• Formal analysis
• Investigation
• Data curation
• Writing – original draft
• Writing – review and editing
• Visualization
• Supervision
• Project administration
• Funding acquisition

The corresponding author must ensure that all listed authors have reviewed and approved the manuscript before submission.

11.2. Changes in Authorship

Any request to add, remove, or change the order of authors after submission must be justified and approved by all affected authors. The editorial office may require written confirmation before considering an authorship change.

12. Funding, Conflicts of Interest, and Acknowledgments

12.1. Funding Statement

Authors must disclose all sources of financial support relevant to the research. Funding statements should identify the funding institution, project name where relevant, and grant number when available. Authors should describe any material role of the funder in research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or preparation of the manuscript. When the research receives no specific funding, this must be stated explicitly.

12.2. Conflicts of Interest

All authors must declare financial and non-financial relationships that could reasonably influence, or appear to influence, the research or interpretation of findings. Potential competing interests may include employment, consultancy arrangements, research sponsorship, personal relationships, professional affiliations, and other relevant circumstances. If no competing interests exist, the manuscript should include: "The authors declare no conflicts of interest."

12.3. Acknowledgments

The Acknowledgments section may recognize individuals or institutions that contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship. Examples include technical assistance, administrative support, language editing, research facilities, and community collaboration. Individuals should not be acknowledged without their permission where acknowledgment could imply endorsement of the research.

13. Data Availability and Research Transparency

Authors are encouraged to promote responsible research transparency and reproducibility. Manuscripts should include a Data Availability Statement explaining whether the data supporting the findings are available and, if applicable, how they can be accessed. Where appropriate, authors may deposit anonymized datasets, analytical code, research protocols, or supporting materials in recognized repositories. Data sharing must comply with research ethics requirements, participant consent, confidentiality obligations, and applicable data protection regulations. Where research data cannot be shared publicly, authors should explain the relevant restrictions. The editorial office may request additional methodological information or supporting evidence when necessary to evaluate the manuscript.

14. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

The journal recognizes that artificial intelligence tools may be used to support certain aspects of research and manuscript preparation. However, the use of AI-assisted technologies must be transparent, responsible, and consistent with scientific integrity.

14.1. AI and Authorship

Generative AI systems and other automated tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of scientific work.

14.2. Disclosure of AI Use

Authors must disclose the substantive use of generative AI tools in preparing or conducting the research. The disclosure should identify:

• The AI tool used.
• The purpose for which the tool was used.
• The relevant stage of the research or writing process.
• The nature of the authors' verification and oversight.

Where AI is used for scientific analysis, data processing, or figure generation, the relevant procedures should be described in the Methods section.

14.3. Author Responsibility

Authors remain fully responsible for verifying all AI-assisted content, including scientific accuracy, references, interpretation, originality, and potential bias. The fabrication of references, generation of misleading research data, and presentation of AI-generated findings as genuine empirical observations are prohibited. Authors must not upload confidential participant information or unpublished sensitive research data to third-party AI systems without appropriate authorization and safeguards.

15. Manuscript Submission Procedure

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the journal's Online Journal System (OJS).

Submission portal:

https://journal.uin-alauddin.ac.id/index.php/algizzai/about/submissions

15.1. Preparation Before Submission

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

1. The manuscript falls within the journal's Focus and Scope.
2. The manuscript is original and is not under consideration by another journal.
3. All authors have approved the submission.
4. The manuscript follows the official journal template.
5. Required ethical documents and declarations are available.
6. The abstract and keywords have been provided in both Indonesian and English.
7. References are accurate and follow APA Seventh Edition.
8. Figures, tables, and supplementary files are complete.
9. All relevant metadata are accurate.
10. Potential conflicts of interest and funding sources have been disclosed.

15.2. Required Submission Files

Authors should prepare the following documents, as applicable:

Main Manuscript: The manuscript prepared according to the official journal template and anonymized where required for peer review.

Title Page: A separate file containing the complete title, author names, institutional affiliations, corresponding author information, and relevant declarations.

Cover Letter: A letter addressed to the Editor-in-Chief summarizing the novelty, scientific contribution, and relevance of the manuscript to public health nutrition.

Ethical Approval Documentation: A copy of the ethical approval certificate or documentation of an applicable ethics exemption.

Authorship Statement: A declaration confirming author contributions, approval of the manuscript, and agreement with the submission.

Similarity Report: An originality or similarity-checking report in accordance with the journal's submission requirements.

Reporting Guideline Checklist: The relevant completed reporting checklist, when applicable or requested.

Supplementary Materials: Additional supporting files that are necessary for editorial and scientific evaluation.

15.3. Online Submission Steps

Authors should:

1. Register or log in to the journal's OJS platform.
2. Begin a new manuscript submission.
3. Select the appropriate manuscript category.
4. Complete the submission checklist and required declarations.
5. Upload the manuscript and supporting documents.
6. Enter the title, abstract, keywords, author information, and institutional affiliations.
7. Verify the completeness and accuracy of all submission information.
8. Confirm and finalize the submission.

The corresponding author is responsible for monitoring the manuscript status and responding to editorial communications.

16. Editorial Screening and Peer Review

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment to determine their suitability for the journal.

16.1. Initial Editorial Screening

The editorial team evaluates submissions based on:

• Relevance to the journal's Focus and Scope.
• Scientific originality and contribution.
• Compliance with manuscript requirements.
• Research ethics and publication integrity.
• Methodological adequacy.
• Clarity and quality of scientific presentation.
• Potential relevance to public health nutrition research, policy, or practice.

Manuscripts that are outside the journal's scope, scientifically unsuitable, or substantially noncompliant with the guidelines may be rejected without external peer review.

16.2. Peer Review Process

Manuscripts passing the initial screening are evaluated through a double-anonymous peer review process. Each manuscript is ordinarily assessed by at least two qualified reviewers with relevant subject expertise. Reviewers evaluate:

• Originality and significance of the research.
• Appropriateness of the research design.
• Quality of data collection and analysis.
• Validity and interpretation of the findings.
• Adequacy of scientific references.
• Transparency of ethical reporting.
• Relevance to public health nutrition.
• Clarity and organization of the manuscript.

The editorial decision is based on reviewer assessments, scientific quality, editorial priorities, and suitability for publication.

16.3. Editorial Decisions

Editorial decisions may include:

• Acceptance.
• Minor revision.
• Major revision.
• Rejection.

Acceptance is not guaranteed by completion of peer review or by compliance with technical requirements. The Editor-in-Chief or designated editor is responsible for the final editorial decision.

17. Manuscript Revision

Authors invited to revise their manuscripts must address reviewer and editorial comments carefully and systematically. A revised submission should include:

1. The revised manuscript.
2. A point-by-point response to reviewer comments.
3. A clear explanation of all revisions made.
4. A scientific justification for any reviewer suggestions that were not adopted.

Authors should clearly identify manuscript changes when requested by the editorial office. Revisions must be submitted within the timeframe communicated by the editor. A request for revision does not constitute acceptance for publication.

18. Proofreading and Publication

Following acceptance, manuscripts may undergo copyediting, layout preparation, and final proofreading. The corresponding author is responsible for checking the proof carefully, including author names, affiliations, tables, figures, references, and scientific content.

Proof corrections should primarily address typographical, formatting, and production errors. Authors should return corrected proofs within one week of receipt, consistent with the journal's existing proof correction policy, unless otherwise instructed by the editorial office. Substantial alterations to the scientific content after acceptance require editorial approval.

19. Copyright and Open Access

Al GIZZAI: Public Health Nutrition Journal provides immediate open access to its published scientific content. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication.

Published articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), in accordance with the journal's published copyright policy.

This license permits sharing and adaptation for noncommercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given, the original publication is acknowledged, and adaptations are distributed under the same license. Authors may disseminate their published articles through institutional repositories and other permitted platforms, subject to the applicable licensing and acknowledgment requirements.

20. Corrections, Retractions, and Publication Ethics Complaints

The journal is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. Concerns regarding research misconduct, authorship disputes, plagiarism, inaccurate reporting, undisclosed competing interests, or other ethical issues may be investigated in accordance with relevant COPE guidance.

Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, editorial actions may include requesting clarification, publishing a correction, issuing an expression of concern, or retracting an article. Authors are expected to cooperate with reasonable editorial inquiries before and after publication. Requests for editorial reconsideration or complaints should be submitted through the journal's official communication channels.

21. Submission Preparation Checklist

Before submitting, the corresponding author must verify the following:

• The manuscript is relevant to public health nutrition and complies with the journal's Focus and Scope.
• The manuscript has not been previously published or simultaneously submitted elsewhere.
• All authors have approved the manuscript and satisfy the applicable authorship requirements.
• The manuscript follows the official journal template.
• The manuscript includes a clear research objective, transparent methodology, appropriate results, and evidence-based conclusions.
• The title, abstract, and keywords are provided in English and Indonesian.
• The appropriate research reporting guidelines have been followed.
• All tables and figures are properly numbered, described, and cited.
• In-text citations and references follow APA Seventh Edition.
• Ethical approval or a documented exemption has been provided where applicable.
• Funding, conflicts of interest, and author contributions have been disclosed.
• AI-assisted activities have been disclosed where applicable.
• Data availability and relevant research transparency statements are included.
• The required similarity report and supporting documents have been prepared.
• All author metadata, affiliations, email addresses, and ORCID identifiers have been checked.
• The manuscript and supplementary files are ready for submission through OJS.

22. Important Information for Authors

Authors are strongly advised to read the journal's Focus and Scope, Publication Ethics, Copyright Notice, and official manuscript template before submitting. Manuscripts that fail to comply with the submission requirements may be returned for correction before further editorial consideration.

The editorial office reserves the right to request additional documentation, methodological clarification, ethical information, or other materials necessary to assess the scientific quality and integrity of a submission. Submission of a manuscript indicates that the authors have read and agreed to comply with the journal's applicable author guidelines and publication policies. For manuscript submission and further information, visit: https://journal.uin-alauddin.ac.id/index.php/algizzai/about/submissions