Objective This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition GLIM criteria for the the diagnosis of malnutrition and prediction of short-term clinical outcomes in esophageal cancer who underwent curative esophagectomy. Method This study included 158 esophageal cancer patients who were diagnosed and treated with curative esophagectomy in Rugao People's Hospital of from January 2019 to January 2022. Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 NRS 2002 and GLIM criteria were used for nutritional risk assessment and the diagnosis of malnutrition. All patients were divided into malnutrition and non - malnutrition group according to the GLIM criteria and the short-term surgical outcomes between the two groups were compared. In addition the univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of postoperative complications Clavien-Dindo grade≥grade Ⅱ for esophageal cancer patients. Result The preoperative nutritional risk was detected in 75 patients 47. 5% using NRS 2002 and the prevalence of malnutrition defined by GLIM criteria was 34. 2% 54 / 158 . Overall 11. 4% 18 / 158 of esophageal cancer patients had unintentional weight loss 10. 8% 17 / 158 had a low body mass index BMI and 16. 5% 26 / 158 were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Compared with the non-malnutrition group GLIM-defined malnutrition group had a higher proportion of preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy χ 2 = 4. 209 P= 0. 040 lower level of serum albumin 36. 7±5. 1 g / L vs 38. 6±3. 7 g / L t = 2. 691 P = 0. 008 lower BMI 21. 0± 3. 4 kg / m 2 vs 23. 1± 2. 5 kg / m 2 t = 4. 195 P< 0. 001 and skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar 40. 8±9. 4 cm 2 / m 2 vs 46. 7±7. 3 cm 2 / m 2 t = 4. 252 P<0. 001 . Moreover the length of hospital stays was longer t = -2. 152 P= 0. 033 the rates of postoperative complications χ 2 = 3. 842 P = 0. 044 and ClavienDindo≥ grade Ⅱ χ 2 = 5. 026 P = 0. 025 were higher especially for anastomotic leakage χ 2 = 4. 478 P = 0. 034 and pneumonia χ 2 = 9. 459 P = 0. 002 in malnutrition group than in non - malnutrition group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that preoperative hypoalbuminemia OR = 3. 784 95%CI = 1. 294-11. 070 P = 0. 015 and GLIMdefined malnutrition OR= 2. 834 95%CI = 1. 142-7. 029 P= 0. 025 were independent risk factors of postoperative complications for esophageal cancer patients who underwent curative esophagectomy. Conclusion GLIM is an useful tool to evaluate the preoperative nutritional status and predict the risk of postoperative complications and it could help surgeons to optimize the clinical management of esophageal cancer patients