Abstract: Early enteral nutrition plays an important role in the management of critically ill patients, while there is still full of challenges in clinical practice. Twenty‑five experts from 9 hospitals of the Chinese Abdominal Intensive Care Association discussed and proposed 18 critical issues of concern by clinicians, including causes, definitions, and evaluation of gastrointestinal dysfunction in critically ill patients, as well as principles and strategies on how to implement enteral nutrition in various clinical scenarios. Based on medical evidences as well as experts′ clinical experi-ences, this expert consensus was finally developed, hoping to provide guidance for clinical practice and improve outcome of patients.