Effect of early initiation of enteral nutrition on short-term clinical outcomes of very premature infants: A national multicenter cohort study in China

•Early-initiation enteral feeding is associated with less frequent feeding intolerance, could significantly shorten the time to reach total enteral feeding, and reduces the use of parenteral nutrition.•Early-initiation enteral feeding did not increase the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis.•Early-initiation enteral feeding could significantly reduce the risk of late-onset sepsis and extrauterine growth restriction.