Abstract: Objective　To explore whether metabonomics can reveal early biomarkers of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants. Method　A retrospective analysis and comparison of the small molecular substances and lipid metabolites in plasma in 12 NEC premature infants and 23 non-NEC premature infants with similar age and body mass were performed. Blood samples were collected from NEC preterm infants within one hour of onset, and 1H-NMR was used to detect the small molecule substances and lipid metabolites in plasma. Results　Compared with the control group, the levels of β-hydroxybutyrate, succinic acid, LDL/VLDL and polyunsaturated fatty acids in NEC group were significantly increased; the levels of isoleucine, leucine, valine, alanine, creatine and threonine were significantly decreased;  the levels of lysine, glutamic acid, citric acid, tyrosine and glucose in NEC group were decreased slightly; there were statistically difference. Conclusion　Necrotizing enterocolitis is a disease that is accompanied by an abnormality in metabolism pathway associated with inflammatory pathway such as glutamate glutamine, ketone body and alanine and lipid metabolism disorder at its onset. Metabonomics can be used in the study of NEC in preterm infants.