AIM: To investigate whether children should undergo surgery without a long period of fasting after feeding. METHODS: Eighty children with inguinoscrotal disorders (aged 1-10 years) were studied prospectively. They were divided into eight groups that each contained 10 children who were fed normal liquid food (NLF) and a high-calorie diet (HCD) 2, 3, 4 and 5 h before surgery, in two doses at 6-h intervals. NLF was given to four groups and HCD to the other four. In all groups, glucose, prealbumin and cortisol levels in the blood were measured twice: just after oral feeding and just before the operation. After the establishment of adequate anesthesia, gastric residue liquid was measured with a syringe. RESULTS: Blood glucose levels in all patients fed NLF and HCD were high, except in patients in the HCD-4 group. There was no significant difference in the blood prealbumin levels. There was a significant increase in the blood cortisol levels in the NLF-2 (14.4 ± 5.7), HCD-2 (13.2 ± 6.0), NLF-3 (10.9 ± 6.4), and HCD-5 (6.8 ± 5.7) groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The stress of surgery may be tolerated by children when they are fed up to 2 h before elective surgery. © 2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.