Bibliometric and visualization analysis of the metabolomics landscape of obesity (2013-2023)

Obesity is a major issue in nutrition and health, contributing to many chronic diseases. Due to its complex causes, metabolomics offers valuable insights for developing effective strategies to address it. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis on metabolomics in obesity to identify temporal trends in research output, influential publications, and prominent themes within the field. We retrieved all articles on metabolomics and obesity published from 2013 to 2023 in Scopus database. VOSviewer software version 1.6.20 was used to perform the bibliometric analysis and visualize the bibliometric networks. These include authorship, citation, co-citation and keywords analysis. There were 1,489 articles eligible for the analysis. There was an increasing trend in the annual publication and cumulative percentage of articles published in this field. The United States was the most active country regarding publication, citations, and global cooperation. Metabolites published the most articles, while articles in Plos One were cited more frequently. Newgard C. B. and Ilkayeva O. R. were the prolific authors. Citations from influential references highlighted the role of gut microbiota in metabolism, health, and disease states. Keyword co-occurrence results showed that the metabolome and gut microflora were popular topics, while lipid metabolism, lipidomics, NAFLD, bariatric surgery, and pregnancy were at the forefront of research. This shows the growing interest and progress in the field. Insights into trends, leading authors and countries, key references, and emerging themes can guide future research and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration.