Bibliometric analysis of research on sarcopenic obesity: a review of scientific literature

Abstract

Considering the current prevalence in obesity and sarcopenia globally, this study aimed to summarize the development of sarcopenic obesity research to establish the topic's past, present, and future research direction using a bibliometric analysis. A comprehensive search for publications on sarcopenia and obesity was conducted in the Web of Science (WoS) database until the 31st of December 2023. We performed a detailed descriptive analysis, considering metrics like sources, authors, and documents, along with analyzing conceptual and social structures to map sarcopenic obesity research. Between 1993 and 2023, there were 4978 publications on sarcopenic obesity, representing 22.6% of the whole sarcopenia research (22070). Most published articles were originals (74.6%), and one of the highest increments in the fields was seen after 2010. The most significant contribution in this research area falls under the categories of Nutrition & Dietetics, Gerontology, and Geriatrics & Gerontology. Among regions, scientific production was located in 93 different countries. The United States, China, and South Korea had the highest contributions. The most relevant keywords were sarcopenia, obesity, and body composition. Research on sarcopenic obesity primarily focuses on epidemiology and identifying risk factors and outcome predictors. Yet, there is a shortage of research addressing prevention, early detection, and treatments to enhance the health of individuals with sarcopenia.