Associations between prevalent unhealthy lifestyles and the gut microbiota: a comprehensive multi-database bibliometric analysis of pathogenic mechanisms and clinical trajectories - Summary - MDSpire

Associations between prevalent unhealthy lifestyles and the gut microbiota: a comprehensive multi-database bibliometric analysis of pathogenic mechanisms and clinical trajectories

  • By

  • Xiao-Jie Zhou

  • Jun-Lei Chen

  • Chen-Feng Hu

  • Zhang-Kai Li

  • Hong-Bo Zheng

  • Tu-Nan Ding

  • Yan Chen

  • Yan Zhu

  • Jia-Ni Li

  • Qiang Fu

  • Yin Fu

  • May 12, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

Objective:

To systematically analyze the research landscape and emerging trends in the field of lifestyle–microbiome interactions, focusing on five predominant unhealthy lifestyles: smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep disorders, sedentary behavior, and high-sugar diets.

Key Findings:
  • Exponential growth in publication output from 2001 to 2026, indicating increasing research interest.
  • China and the United States are the leading contributors to the research, highlighting a need for global collaboration.
  • Core pathophysiological themes identified include inflammation, oxidative stress, obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and microbiome-associated metabolomics, which are critical for public health strategies.
  • Lifestyle interventions are heavily researched as non-pharmacological strategies for gut microbiota preservation, suggesting potential for practical applications.
Interpretation:

The study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the interactions between unhealthy lifestyles and gut microbiota, highlighting the importance of inflammation and metabolic dysfunction, which can guide future research and public health initiatives.

Limitations:
  • The analysis is limited to five specific unhealthy lifestyles, which may not encompass all relevant factors.
  • Potential publication bias may affect the findings, as studies with positive results are more likely to be published.
Conclusion:

This bibliometric study delineates the structural landscape of research on unhealthy lifestyles and gut microbiota, offering insights for future research and lifestyle-oriented strategies for gastrointestinal health.

Original Source(s)

Related Content