Trends and Approaches in Obesity and Overweight Research Focused on White Adipose Tissue and Browning: A Bibliometric Study.

Authors

Violeta Heras, Daniel Hinojosa-Nogueira, Francisco J Tinahones, Isabel Moreno-Indias

Published in

Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. Pages e70224. Sep 21, 2026. Epub Sep 21, 2026.

Abstract

The global rise in obesity has intensified scientific interest in adipose tissue biology, particularly the mechanisms underlying white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. This bibliometric study mapped the evolution, structure, and emerging directions of research on obesity, overweight, and WAT browning from 2011 to May 2025. Records were retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed and analyzed using VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and Biblioshiny. A total of 2106 publications were identified, with a notable surge in output over the last decade. The United States, China, and several European countries emerged as leading contributors in terms of publication volume and citations. Influential journals were identified, highlighting interdisciplinary collaboration across molecular biology, endocrinology, and metabolic research. Keyword co-occurrence and trend-topic analyses identified thermogenesis, mitochondrial activity, transcriptional regulation, and adipocyte differentiation as central themes, whereas more recent research has shifted toward omics-based approaches, autophagy, gut microbiota, extracellular vesicles, immune regulation, and neuroendocrine pathways. Despite major mechanistic advances, the literature remains predominantly preclinical, and the contribution of beige adipocytes to whole-body energy expenditure in humans appears modest. Overall, the field has evolved from the identification of thermogenic adipocytes toward a more integrated view of adipose tissue plasticity and interorgan communication, although substantial challenges remain for clinical translation and long-term validation.

PMID:
42786995
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Sep 2026.

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