The Global Growth of ‘Sustainable Diet’ during Recent Decades, a Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

The term ‘sustainable diets’ (SDs) was first introduced in the scientific literature in 1986 and later defined in detail by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as pertaining to those diets that can promote environmental health ad effectively ensure food and nutrition security as well as a healthy lifestyle in humans, combining the notion of sustainability with dietary patterns and their beneficial impacts. Since then, various international events have been held promoting sustainability as a significant component of food production, nutrition, and human health. These events have enhanced the knowledge transition and awareness between the scientific community and policymakers concerning the importance of SDs. In this aspect, this is the first study that aims to identify trends and turning points over time concerning the research on SDs. We performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 1407 scientific documents published in Scopus during the period 1986–2022. The documents were screened following the PRISMA guidelines, and bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer and the detection of Sustainable Development Goals with the text2sdg R-package. Overall, there was an exponential growth in the literature on SDs that followed international events from 2009 onward. Among the most impactful journals were Sustainability, Nutrients, and Frontiers in Nutrition. The leading countries in research were pointed out, as well as the high rate of collaborations and partnerships between them. The research interest was mainly focused on (a) climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental impact; (b) food systems, security, and consumption; and (c) health, Mediterranean Diet (MD), and dietary guidelines. The significance of these keywords changed over time, following the evolution of SDs concepts from the planetary environmental impact of food production to the healthier dietary habits of individuals. Among several dietary patterns, MD was identified as the most popular among the local SDs, with synergies among scientists in the Mediterranean region. Overall, the novelty of this study is the mapping of the expansion of knowledge over the last 36 years regarding the term SDs while taking into consideration international events and their impact on scientific research.