Mapping the research using 24-h movement guidelines in children and adolescents: A bibliometric analysis

Background: There are limited comprehensive bibliometric analyses that have examined research articles using the 24-h movement guidelines, which are necessary to evaluate the impact of the research field, map the scientific structure of the research landscape, and identify knowledge gaps.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse the published research articles using the 24-h movement guidelines and assess their bibliometric characteristics.

Methods: The search was conducted across all databases indexed in the Web of Science on March 6, 2024, and the bibliometric characteristics of studies published from 2016 onwards were analysed. Descriptive statistics and visualisations by the VOSviewer were used for the presentation of bibliometric characteristics.

Results: 120 studies using the 24-h movement guidelines in children and adolescents were included for analysis in this study. In general, number of the related publications using the 24-h movement guidelines increased from 2016 until now. 16 distinct clusters of author networking were displayed, of which the Canadian team was the strongest cluster with the highest research impacts. Of the included studies, cross-sectional studies accounted for the majority. North America and Europe were the leading two study locations across the included studies. Highly varied adherence rate to the 24-h movement guidelines across the included studies were observed. In terms of correlates and health outcomes of meeting the 24-h movement guidelines, separately, sociodemographic and health functioning characteristics were the most examined aspects.

Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive scientific overview for research using the 24-h movement guidelines in children and adolescents, which may help guide potential research directions to improve the low compliance rates in this population.