Global trends and focuses of GLP-1RA in obesity: a bibliometric analysis and visualization from 2014 to 2024

Purpose : Obesity is a multifaceted disease with complex causes, distinct pathophysiologies, comorbidities, and significant health impacts. Managing obesity primarily aims to reduce or prevent related complications. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have become leading pharmacological options because of their effectiveness, relative safety, and convenience. Our objective was to explore GLP-1RA in obesity in the Scopus database comprehensively and identify the articles cited from 2014--2024. Methods A systematic and thematic analysis was performed to provide substantial insight into the most recent progress, source identification, and suitable systematic methodologies for emergent GLP-1RA in obesity research. The data were analyzed via VOS viewer, Var1.6.6, and the Biblioshiny tool. Results : A total of 1,702 documents were analyzed. Research output remained steady from 2014--2020 (50 documents), followed by exponential growth from 2020, peaking in 2024 (566 documents). The average number of citations per article peaked at 92 in 2018 before it dropped to 7 in 2024. Among the 130 contributing countries, the United States led with 25.9% of publications. HOLST J.J. (University of Copenhagen) was the most prolific author (45 publications, 1,901 citations, h-index 22). “Diabetes, obesity and metabolism” was the most active journal, publishing 105 articles. (h_index: 39, impact factor: 5.4 (2023)). Keywords and thematic analyses revealed increasing research interest in agents such as Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, and Dulaglutide and in themes such as body weight loss, heart failure, cohort analysis, and long-term follow-up. Liraglutide and Semaglutide are the most studied GLP-1RAs. Notably, keyword analysis did not highlight safety concerns related to cancer risk, as previously speculated. Conclusion : This bibliometric review underscores key research trends and gaps, guiding future investigations and fostering global collaboration in GLP-1RA in obesity research.