Health Psychology Research / HPR / Online First / DOI: 10.14440/hpr.0313
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Global Research Trends on the Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome and Mental Health: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis (2000–2025)

Xiaoli Xia1,2,3 ,  Yifeng Pan4,5 ,  Huiling Cai1,2,3 ,  Weizhang Zhang1,2,3 ,  Bojun Chen1,2,3,6 ,  Hairong Cai1,2,3*
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1 Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510102, China
2 Department of Emergency Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510102, China
3 Department of Emergency Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510102, China
4 Department of Science and Education, The Eighth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
5 Department of Science and Education, Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Foshan, Guangdong 528000, China
6 Department of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Research Team of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiac Emergencies with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China
HPR, e81240051 https://doi.org/10.14440/hpr.0313
Submitted: 24 September 2025 | Revised: 8 December 2025 | Accepted: 12 December 2025 | Published: 14 January 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background

The bidirectional relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and mental health has emerged as a critical public health concern. However, no comprehensive bibliometric analysis has systematically mapped the knowledge structure and evolutionary trajectory of this interdisciplinary field.

Objective

This study aims to examine the relationship between MetS and mental health through a systematic bibliometric analysis, identifying research hotspots and emerging trends.

Methods

Literature from the Web of Science Core Collection (January 2000 to June 2025) was analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the bibliometrix package in R to examine publication trends, collaboration networks, research hotspots, molecular mechanisms, and disease association patterns.

Results

Analysis of 18,647 publications from 138 countries/regions revealed a 45.7-fold increase in annual publications, from 29 articles in 2000 to 1,324 in 2024, with 46.73% published in the past five years. The United States was ranked first in publication volume (26.75%) and network centrality. Keyword analysis identified 16 thematic clusters, with “inflammation” rising from ninth to fourth position across study periods. “Gut microbiota” emerged prominently post-2016, while “COVID-19” became a burst keyword after 2020. Molecular network analysis identified interleukin-6, insulin, and tumor necrosis factor as central hub proteins. Disease co-occurrence analysis demonstrated strong associations between MetS and depression and between insulin resistance and anxiety.

Conclusion

This analysis reveals rapid, accelerating growth in MetS–mental health research, with inflammation and the gut–brain axis as pivotal mechanistic links. Future priorities include elucidating the functional mechanisms of the gut microbiome and developing targeted interventions for shared pathological pathways. These findings provide a framework for identifying research priorities in this evolving field.

Keywords
Metabolic syndrome
Mental health
Bibliometric analysis
Inflammation
Gut–brain axis
Depression
Knowledge mapping
Research trends
Funding
This study was funded by the Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project (Grant no.: 2024A04J3302) and the Project of Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Province of China (Grant no.: 20233019; Grant No.20251135). The funder had no role in the design of the study, the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, the writing of the manuscript, or the decision to publish the results.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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