A Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis of Intermittent Fasting.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition
• Cell Biology
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Intermittent fasting (IF) research has seen significant growth between 2000 and 2020.
• The field is characterized by interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in nutrition, cell biology, and kinesiology.
• The United States is a central hub for IF research, demonstrating substantial global influence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To visually analyze the literature on intermittent fasting from 2000-2020.
• To identify current research status, key hotspots, and emerging trends in IF.
• To provide researchers with a clear overview of the IF research landscape.

Main Methods:

• CiteSpace software was employed for visual bibliometric analysis.
• Analysis covered literature from the Web of Science database.
• Co-citation analysis and keyword timeline mapping were utilized.

Main Results:

• A year-over-year increase in IF research output was observed.
• Highly co-cited literature includes works by Sutton, Mattson, and Trepanowski, indicating diverse research perspectives.
• Citation burst analysis revealed three distinct stages in the evolution of research hotspots over two decades.
• Time-restricted feeding was identified as a leading research front through keyword timeline mapping.

Conclusions:

• Intermittent fasting research is expanding, with diverse and developing perspectives.
• Time-restricted feeding represents a current frontier in intermittent fasting research.
• This analysis aids researchers in navigating the IF field and identifying valuable data for future studies.