Global trends and emerging themes in youth physical literacy research: a bibliometric analysis (2000-2025)

Physical literacy (PL) has emerged as an important framework for understanding children's and adolescents' motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and engagement in lifelong physical activity. Although youth physical literacy research has expanded rapidly, limited bibliometric evidence has systematically mapped its global development, intellectual structure, and emerging thematic trends. This study aimed to examine the evolution of youth physical literacy research from 2000 to 2025 and identify major research themes, collaboration patterns, and emerging directions.

A bibliometric analysis was conducted using records retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases within a multi-database validation framework. After data cleaning, deduplication, and exclusion of records outside the study period, 856 publications published between 2000 and 2025 were included. Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were used to examine publication trends, collaboration networks, influential contributors, keyword co-occurrence patterns, thematic clusters, timeline evolution, and burst keywords.

Youth physical literacy research showed a sustained increase in publications, particularly after 2015. Canada, Australia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom were among the most productive countries. Keyword and cluster analyses identified major themes related to physical education, motor competence, physical activity, physical competence, assessment and validation, fitness, health literacy, and public health. Timeline and burst analyses further suggested increasing attention to psychological, educational, and well-being-related themes within the youth physical literacy literature. Cross-database comparison showed consistent patterns in publication trends, leading contributors, and core thematic structures, supporting the robustness of the identified research patterns.

This study provides a systematic and validated mapping of the global research landscape of youth physical literacy from 2000 to 2025. The findings suggest that youth physical literacy research has expanded from physical education, motor competence, and assessment-oriented topics toward broader educational, psychosocial, and health-related themes. These results offer a knowledge map for researchers, educators, and policymakers interested in advancing youth physical literacy in educational contexts and supporting holistic student development.