Global trends in nutrition education for cardiac rehabilitation patients: A bibliometric review (2010-2025)

Nutrition education is a core component of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), given the central role of diet in cardiovascular risk reduction and long-term secondary prevention. Although research on CR has expanded substantially over the past decade, the evolution, structure, and thematic focus of literature specifically addressing nutrition education within CR have not been systematically mapped. A bibliometric review was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus to identify peer-reviewed publications published between 2010 and 2025 addressing dietary or nutrition education or counselling in CR or secondary cardiovascular prevention contexts. Records were screened based on predefined eligibility criteria and analyzed using the Bibliometrix R package (Biblioshiny) and VOSviewer. Descriptive indicators, keyword frequency, temporal trends, co-authorship, country collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence networks were examined. A total of 502 publications were included. Annual publication output increased steadily over time, with marked growth after 2020. Research production was concentrated in high-income countries, particularly the United States, Canada, Australia, and Western Europe, with limited representation from low- and middle-income regions. Keyword analyses showed that nutrition education is most often embedded within broader themes of cardiovascular disease management, exercise, lifestyle modification, and secondary prevention. Education-specific and nutrition-focused terms were comparatively less prominent. Emerging themes included digital health, telerehabilitation, and patient-centered approaches, particularly in recent years. Research on nutrition education in CR has grown and diversified; however, nutrition education remains inconsistently conceptualized and is rarely examined as a distinct, theory-informed educational intervention. Greater attention to educational frameworks, cultural tailoring, and equity is needed. By identifying dominant themes, emerging topics, and underrepresented areas, this bibliometric review provides an evidence map that may inform the prioritization and positioning of nutrition education within future CR research and program development.