A bibliometric analysis of eating disorders in adolescents

The study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of eating disorders in adolescents.

In this study, the terms TS=("adolescent" OR "youth" OR "teenagers" OR "adolescence") AND (eating disorder OR anorexia nervosa OR bulimia nervosa) were systematically searched in the Web of Science database. The R bibliometric package was used to analyze the search results. This study systematically maps the field for the period 2016-2025 by employing co-authorship, bibliographic coupling, keyword co-occurrence, and citation analyses to identify leading contributors, publication outlets, countries, influential works, and thematic structures.

The analysis covered the period from 2016 to 2025, with publication numbers fluctuating over the years. The number of publications peaked in 2021. Research activities were concentrated in the United States, Germany, Australia, and Canada. The leading journals included the International Journal of Eating Disorders and the Journal of Eating Disorders, followed by Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity, European Eating Disorders Review, and Eating Behaviors. Frequently used keywords included anorexia nervosa, eating disorders, adolescents, and bulimia nervosa.

This bibliometric analysis demonstrates that the literature on eating disorders in adolescents has evolved over time in response to global events, research funding, and changing clinical priorities. In particular, publication output increased markedly during the COVID-19 pandemic period, with the most prolific authors focusing on key topics such as family-based treatment and eating disorders in males. Countries including the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom emerged as leading contributors in terms of research productivity. Additionally, publications were largely concentrated in a limited number of core journals with high impact factors.