Mapping the Thematic Evolution of Qualitative Approaches in Food Environment Research: A Bibliometric Analysis (1995-2025).

A socio-ecological approach is essential for understanding the food environment (FE) and its impact on health equity, going beyond individual choices and considering how multiple factors interact to shape food behaviours. Acknowledging these complex influences helps explain why some populations face more significant challenges in accessing healthy foods, highlighting the role of structural barriers such as poverty and food affordability. For this reason, qualitative research can provide deeper insights into these dynamics and offer a more nuanced understanding of the FE. The study employs a bibliometric analysis software (SCiMAT) to examine the structural and dynamic characteristics of scientific research and illustrate the cognitive architecture of this topic, creating a science map and performance analysis to identify and visualize the conceptual subdomains within the research field as well as track its thematic evolution. We employed the Participants, Concept, and Context eligibility criteria to define search terms for the Web of Science core collection database. We analyzed 1,763 papers from 395 journals published between 1995 and 2025. Co-word and h-index measures were used to quantify and visualize thematic areas across four subperiods: A (1995-2010), B (2011-15), C (2016-20), and D (2021-25). Key findings include OVERWEIGHT as a motor theme from periods A to C, with the HOME FOOD ENVIRONMENT transitioning from a peripheral (highly developed and isolated) to a motor theme in this period. NEIGHBOURHOOD emerged as a motor theme in period B. In period C, URBAN FOOD ENVIRONMENT and AVAILABILITY emerged as new motor themes, and INMIGRANTS emerged as peripheral theme, forming clusters with ACCULTURATION and REFUGEES. In period D, FOOD INSECURITY became a motor theme, with PHOTOVOICE emerging as a peripheral theme. This analysis highlights the increasing complexity of the FE and the untapped potential for interdisciplinary qualitative research to both assess and improve the FE for public health.