Patterns of scientific collaboration in the field of nutrition information literacy in Scopus Databases

Abstract
Purpose: Awareness, knowledge, and literacy of nutritional information is one of the ways to achieve proper nutrition so that every person, at any time, can choose food and meet their nutritional needs in the right way by using the acquired knowledge. The present study examines the patterns of scientific collaboration between authors and the collaboration network of individuals, countries, and universities in the field of nutrition information literacy.
Methodology: This research is a descriptive study that has been done with a scientometric approach and with a practical aim. The used network analysis software in this research includes the VOS Viewer software, to draw a general map of the scientific cooperation of authors, organizations, and universities, and the NodeXL software, to calculate the network centrality indicators. Gefi software for analyzing and visualizing network communication graphs and drawing cooperation maps at individual, university, and country levels, and Excel software. The statistical population in this research is scientific products (919 articles) in the field of nutrition information literacy in the Scopus database in the period 2009 to 2019.
Findings: Findings showed that scientific production and the number of citations received in this field during the years under review has generally had an upward trend, as well as highly cited documents have been published between 2009 and 2017 and important journals in the field of nutrition information literacy, most of the published articles in this field, are mostly categorized in medicine after that, the largest number of documents have been published in the categories of nursing and social sciences, respectively. A total of 70 articles have been published as single authors and the remaining (849) articles are co-authors. The largest number of articles in this field have been published by three authors, which has the highest frequency. The United States and Australia have the largest number of articles and the most collaborative work on nutrition information literacy, respectively, between Canada and the United States (8 collaborations), Australia with the United States (6 collaborations), and India with the United States (5 collaborations). According to the Scientific Cooperation Network, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada have high rankings in terms of all three centrality indicators. Findings showed that the University of Sydney had the highest number of credentials and citations in this area, and the largest number of collaborations in the production of works in this field was between Northwestern University and Feinberg School of Medicine (8 collaborations). The University of Melbourne has the highest ranking in all three indicators. Authors such as Amanda Devin, Heather D. Gibbs, and Susan Jessica Paxton have the highest number of articles, and a review of the Writers Collaboration Network shows that Elena Carbon, Murray Drummond, and Charlene Elliott rank highest in all three indicators of centrality.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that the scientific productions and the number of citations received in this field have generally been on the rise during the years under review. Northwestern University of the United States and the Feinberg School of Medicine have the largest collaboration in the production of articles in this field. According to research findings of the betweenness centrality index analysis of the collaboration network of writers in the field of nutrition literacy, the highest value of the betweenness centrality index is related to Elena Carbone, Murray Drummond, and Charlene Elliott. It is concluded that there is a fundamental need for activities and practical measures to increase nutrition information literacy. The results of this research, in addition to conducting research and identifying intervening factors in the field of nutrition information literacy, emphasize bridging the gap between research and practice in this field. They also emphasize implementing programs, changing policies, and measuring the results of this research to achieve progress in promoting healthy eating habits by teaching nutrition information literacy skills. According to the findings of the present research, it is recommended to encourage teamwork, establish communication networks among researchers, activate science and technology parks, hold International conferences, support researchers for contributing to international conferences, and develop purposeful research at national and international levels. Supporting study opportunities in countries that are more advanced in various fields and sharing knowledge and experience. Top researchers who do more teamwork in specialized subject fields, should be encouraged and given more points.