Are Children Diagnosed With ADHD More Likely to Be Overweight?

Each year in the United States, an increasing number of children and teens are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and each year the percentage of children and teens that are overweight increases. Could there be a link between the two? According to a study published in the July issue of Pediatrics, the answer is YES.

In the study, researchers from the Department of Community Health at Brown Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island analyzed information on 62,887 children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years from the 2003-2004 National Survey of Children's Health. ADHD was determined by response to the question "Has a doctor or health professional ever told you that your child has attention-deficit disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, that is, ADD or ADHD?" The children and adolescents were then classified as being either underweight, of normal weight, at risk of being overweight, or overweight according to BMI for age and gender.

After adjusting for factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and depression/anxiety, the researchers found that the children and adolescents with ADHD who were not currently taking medication had a 1.5 times the odds of being overweight compared to their non-ADHD peers. These findings are consistent with other research linking ADHD with being overweight. While the researchers say future work is needed to better understand the factors influencing the relationship between ADHD and weight status in children and adolescents, they propose that the increased weight may come from increased impulsivity and decreased self control of the children with ADHD, both behaviors leading to increased eating, coupled with more time spent watching television or playing video or computer games, leading to decreased physical activity.

On the other hand, children and adolescent with ADHD who were taking medications for the disorder had about 1.6 times the odds of being underweight, compared to their non-ADHD peers. This could be due to a loss of appetite and weight loss, which are both known side effects of some ADHD medications.

The study authors say these findings provide a heightened awareness for pediatric health providers about the relationship between ADHD, medication use, and weight status. While some experts agree that there is a connection, others believe that because the diagnosis of obesity in children and adolescents and the diagnosis for ADHD are so widespread, it isn't clear whether the overlap is due to a cause-and-effect connection or if it's just a coincidence. Regardless, the general consensus is that it makes sense for people caring for those with ADHD to pay attention to their weight, since they may be at greater risk of weight problems than their peers. And it makes sense to pay attention to the behavior of kids who are becoming overweight, as they may be more likely to have ADHD than their peers.