Fatty Acids as Nutritional Therapy for NAFLD: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends and Future Directions

The global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is 25%, and its onset is closely related to fatty acid metabolism disorders. With the rise of the concept of non-drug treatment, the intervention potential of unsaturated fatty acids (especially ω-3/ω-6 fatty acids) has become a research hotspot, but the field's development trend has not been systematically evaluated. Based on bibliometric analysis, 4509 NAFLD fatty acid-related articles in the Web of Science core collection were retrieved, and CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to analyze the country, institution, and author cooperation networks, and keyword evolution. The annual publication volume peaked in 2022 (316 articles). China led the research output, but the United States had a significant lead in influence. The key author cluster was centered on Sanyal Arun (USA) and Li Y (China); the University of California system and the French National Institute of Health were high-impact institutions. The research topic has shifted from pathological mechanisms ("insulin resistance" and "oxidative stress") to clinical intervention ("ω-3 fatty acids" and "double-blind trials"). The research on fatty acids in NAFLD has shifted from a stable period to a transitional period. The key words "ω-3 fatty acids", "double-blind trials", and "short-chain fatty acids" indicate that nutritional intervention has entered the evidence-based verification stage. Future research should explore the therapeutic potential of unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., ω-6/ω-9 fatty acids) and specialty oils, such as Torreya grandis oil, as novel dietary interventions.