To analyze the research hotspots and advancements in weight management for obese children both domestically and internationally, providing a theoretical foundation for future studies of related fields.

Relevant literature for weight management of obese children were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, Weipu, Web of Science (WOS) databases for the period from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2024. Excel, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer were used to analyze annual publication volume, authors, institutions, keywords, and other bibliometric characteristics.

A total of 158 Chinese literature and 484 English literature were included. Domestic publications remained stable, while international publications fluctuated but stabilized during 2018-2022. The publication volume and institutional collaboration map indicated that foreign scholars' collaborations were concentrated, whereas domestic collaborations were scattered. The foreign scholar with the highest number of publications was Ball (29 articles). And the country with the most publications was the United States (256 articles). Journal dual-map overlay indicated future would focus on medicine, internal medicine and clinical medicine. Both domestic and foreign studies focused on participants, weight management methods and monitoring indicators, with foreign studies further exploring research methods.

In the past decades, weight management methods and specific measures have been a primary focus in this field, with distinct priorities observed between domestic and international scholars. In the future, international exchanges and cooperation should be strengthened, and weight management plans for obese children with Chinese characteristics should be developed according to actual conditions.