Clinical Report: Asian Contributions to Obesity Surgery Research Over 40 Years
Overview
This bibliometric review analyzed 4669 obesity surgery publications from Asia between 1954 and 2022, highlighting a significant increase in research output, particularly from China. The study reveals evolving research trends, prolific authors, and institutions shaping bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS) in Asia.
Background
Obesity is a growing global health crisis with over 1.5 billion adults projected to be obese by 2035, leading to increased risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Asian countries face rising obesity prevalence, exemplified by China's 16.4% adult obesity rate. Bariatric metabolic surgery (BMS) has emerged as an effective intervention for sustainable weight loss and comorbidity management. Despite its relatively recent adoption in Asia, BMS research is expanding rapidly, necessitating a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to understand regional research dynamics.
Data Highlights
A total of 4669 articles on bariatric metabolic surgery from Asian countries were retrieved from the Web of Science database spanning 1954 to 2022. After exclusion of non-Asian publications, 3938 articles were analyzed. The study employed bibliometric tools including biblioshiny and VOSviewer to assess publication trends, author productivity, institutional contributions, and research topics. China emerged as a leading contributor with detailed subgroup analysis performed to elucidate its dominant role.
Key Findings
There has been a marked increase in obesity surgery publications from Asia over the past four decades, reflecting growing research activity.
China is the most prolific country in Asia for BMS research, contributing a substantial proportion of publications and citations.
Leading Asian institutions and authors have been identified, with collaborative networks visualized through bibliometric mapping.
Research topics have evolved alongside surgical advancements, with sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass being prominent keywords.
The volume of publications correlates positively with economic prosperity and population size of Asian countries.
Clinical Implications
The expanding body of BMS research in Asia underscores the region's increasing role in advancing obesity surgery techniques and outcomes. Clinicians should be aware of emerging evidence and innovations originating from Asian centers, particularly from China. Enhanced collaboration and knowledge exchange may improve surgical management and patient care in the context of rising obesity prevalence.
Conclusion
This comprehensive bibliometric review highlights Asia's growing influence in obesity surgery research, with China playing a pivotal role. Continued monitoring of research trends will support the development of effective surgical interventions tailored to the region's needs.
References
Kremen 1954 -- Introduction of Bariatric Metabolic Surgery
