Global scientific research landscape on binge drinking: a comprehensive bibliometric and visualisation analysis of trends, collaborations, and future directions

Background
Binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a single session, is a major public health issue. It leads to cognitive and motor impairments and is linked to numerous health problems. This study aims to analyze globally published peer-reviewed literature on binge drinking.

Methods
A thorough search was conducted in the Scopus database using keywords related to binge drinking. Specific criteria were applied to filter the results, resulting in 2,763 relevant research papers. VOSviewer software was used to analyze and visualize connections between these studies.

Results
A bibliometric analysis of binge drinking research published between 1980 and 2024 showed a significant increase in publications (R²=0.916; p<0.001), peaking in 2018 with 191 articles. Most publications were research articles (89.65%, n=2,477), with a smaller percentage of review articles (4.74%, n=131). Researchers from 139 countries contributed, with the USA (56.1%) and the UK (7.82%) leading in publications. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2.35%) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2.28%) were key contributors. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism was the top funding source, supporting 21.68% of articles. Research trends shifted post-2016, focusing more on mechanistic studies and societal interventions to address the broader impacts of binge drinking.

Conclusions
This is the first comprehensive analysis of binge drinking research trends. Research has significantly increased, particularly from the United States, the UK, and Spain. Initially focused on social and cultural factors, research has shifted since 2016 to mechanistic studies and animal models, influencing future research directions and strategies.