Digital health technologies in obesity: trajectory, emerging hotspots, and future perspectives

作者：Zhang Q, Huang J, Mao F, Wang Y, Liu W, Peng Y · 发表于：Frontiers in medicine · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3389/fmed.2026.1875769 · 被引用次数：37 · 研究领域：artificial intelligence、bibliometric analysis、digital health、obesity、weight management

BACKGROUND: Digital health technologies, including mobile applications, wearable devices, and artificial intelligence, have emerged as valuable platforms for addressing the global obesity epidemic. Despite a surge in academic output, the field lacks a macro-level comprehensive synthesis of its evolutionary logic, core research forces, and emerging frontiers. METHODS: Literature published between 2016 and 2026 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases. Python was utilized for data cleaning, while descriptive statistical analyses were conducted using R., VOSviewer and CiteSpace were collaboratively employed to perform co-occurrence clustering, evaluate global collaboration networks, and conduct burst detection. RESULTS: A total of 2,633 records were ultimately included. The field experienced a significant inflection point starting in 2021, with annual publication volume surging from 272 papers in 2021 to 564 papers in 2025. The United States (756 articles) and China (738 articles) are the primary contributors, with the United States acting as the central hub for global collaboration (centrality = 0.47). Tehran University of Medical Sciences is the most prolific institution (71 articles), whereas Harvard University occupies a critical bridging position (centrality = 0.18). Nutrients is the most active publishing venue (199 articles), and Obesity Reviews serves as a core foundational reference. High-frequency keywords are concentrated on physiol...