The relationship between ADHD and obesity: implications for therapy

Prevalence and Correlates of Self-Reported ADHD Symptoms in Bariatric Patients: Focus on Mood and Anxiety Comorbidity, Disordered Eating, and Temperamental Traits

PURPOSE

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. A positive association between ADHD and obesity has been observed, especially in adult samples. In this study, prevalence and correlates of self-reported symptoms indicative of a positive screening for ADHD were examined in patients seeking bariatric treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study sample was composed of 260 adult patients with obesity referred for bariatric surgery to the Obesity Center of the Endocrinology Unit in Pisa University Hospital between January 2006 and November 2016 (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2; mean ± standard deviation = 46.27 ± 7.45 kg/m2). ADHD symptoms were identified using ADHD Symptom Check-List-90-R Screening Scale. Night-eating, binge-eating/purging behaviors, and temperamental and character traits were assessed in a subsample of 95 patients.

RESULTS

Thirty participants had a positive screening for ADHD (11.5%, 95% CI = 7.9-16.1%). Patients with a positive screening showed significantly higher rates of anxiety disorders (40% vs. 16.5%, χ2 = 7.97, p = 0.005) panic disorder (40% vs. 14.3%, χ2 = 10.48, p = 0.001), and a higher severity of psychopathological symptoms and sleep disturbances than those without. In subsample analyses, ADHD symptoms severity was associated with more bulimic behaviors (r = 0.31-0.46), greater harm avoidance (r = 0.45-0.66), less self-directedness (r =  - 0.44-0.63), and cooperativeness (r =  - 0.26-0.42).

CONCLUSION

ADHD symptoms may be common in patients with obesity seeking bariatric treatment and are positively associated with disordered eating, internalizing features, and maladaptive character traits.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

V, cross sectional descriptive study.

Contrasting presentations of children with ADHD and subthreshold ADHD

BACKGROUND

We aimed to explore the differences and relationships in body composition, social function, and comorbidities between children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and subthreshold ADHD.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted to analyze the differences between children with ADHD and subthreshold ADHD. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors influencing social functional impairments and comorbidities.

RESULTS

Children with ADHD and subthreshold ADHD had a higher fat mass index than healthy children (p < 0.05). The scores of all six social functional domains were higher in the subthreshold ADHD and ADHD groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). The prevalence of comorbidity was higher in children with subthreshold ADHD and ADHD compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Inattention and comorbid anxiety/depression increased the risk of functional impairments in children with ADHD (full syndrome/subthreshold), whereas a higher fat-free mass index reduced the risk. The severity of hyperactivity was associated with a higher risk of comorbidity in children with ADHD (full syndrome/subthreshold).

CONCLUSION

Children with subthreshold ADHD and ADHD had more fat mass and higher rates of social functional impairments and comorbidities than healthy children. There were clinical correlations between body composition, social functional impairments, and comorbidities in ADHD.

IMPACT

1. Children with subthreshold ADHD and ADHD had higher fat mass levels than normal children. 2. The social function impairments and comorbidities of children with subthreshold ADHD were similar to those with ADHD. 3. Inattentiveness and anxiety/depression increased the risk of functional impairments in children with ADHD (full syndrome/subthreshold), while a higher fat-free mass index and skeletal muscle-to-body fat ratio reduced the risk.

Risk of Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study was performed to explore the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the risk of overweight/obesity in both children and adolescents. The PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant studies published before July 12, 2022. Studies with data for calculating the odds ratio (OR) of childhood overweight/obesity and ADHD were included. The literature value was assessed by the cross-sectional evaluation criteria proposed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). All analyses were conducted using StataSE 11 and RevMan 5.3 software with random-effects models. This review included a total of 16 studies covering 14,981 cases and 128,916 controls.According to the meta-analysis, children with ADHD had a significant risk for co-occurring overweight and obesity [OR 1.56; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.32-1.85], especially boys (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.10-1.90), people in Asia (OR 3.25; 95% CI 1.70-6.21) and Europe (OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.61-2.12), and patients not using medication (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.22-1.94).ADHD has a significant association with overweight and obesity in both children and adolescents, which may be altered by factors such as geography, gender, and medication use. Timely treatment should be provided to children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD to inhibit the emergence of overweight and obesity.

Grazing Is Associated with ADHD Symptoms, Substance Use, and Impulsivity in a Representative Sample of a Large Metropolitan Area in Brazil

Grazing is a clinically relevant eating behaviour, especially when it presents with a sense of loss of control (compulsive grazing). There is evidence that other disordered eating patterns are associated with problematic substance use and impulsivity-related conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This overlap contributes to higher psychopathology and treatment complications. Less is known about grazing, and most information originates in high-income countries. Hence, we sought to investigate relationships between grazing, tobacco and alcohol use, ADHD, and impulsivity in a large representative sample from Brazil. Data were collected by trained interviewers from adults (N = 2297) through an in-person household survey based on a stratified and clustered probability sample. We found significant associations between compulsive grazing and problematic alcohol use (OR = 3.02, 95% CI: 1.65, 5.53), ADHD (OR = 8.94, 95% CI: 5.11, 15.63), and smoking (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.47), with impulsivity contributing to the first two relationships. The substantial association with ADHD suggests that other executive functions may promote disordered eating, possibly expressed through difficulties in adhering to regular meals. Clinically, these findings highlight the importance of assessing problematic eating patterns, such as compulsive grazing, in those presenting with difficulties with substance use or impulsivity, and vice versa.

Neurobehavioral phenotypes of delay discounting and cognitive control in child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity: Shared or distinct?

BACKGROUND

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity have been independently associated with deficient cognitive control (CC) and heightened preference for immediate reward.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to identify specific shared and distinct neurobehavioral phenotypes of child obesity and ADHD by simultaneously measuring CC and preference for immediate reward in children with and without ADHD who varied in body weight.

METHODS

This case-control study included 323 8-12 year olds (ADHD n = 215, typically developing (TD) screened for ADHD symptoms [TD] controls n = 108) varying in body weight. Children completed a go/no-go task (assessing CC), as well as a classical money delay discounting (DD) task and novel experiential game time DD task (assessing preference for immediate over delayed rewards).

RESULTS

For game time DD, there was a body mass index z-score (BMIz)*ADHD interaction, such that TD children with overweight/obesity showed game time DD levels that were greater than those of TD children without overweight/obesity and similar to those of children with ADHD. Only children with ADHD showed poorer CC compared to TD children, with no effects of body weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Heightened game time DD with delays and rewards experienced in real-time may represent a neurobehavioral phenotype that is shared between ADHD and overweight/obesity in childhood, whereas deficient CC may be specific to children with ADHD.

Exploring predictors and moderators of response to multimodal obesity treatment in children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether specific psychological factors influence intervention effects for children with severe obesity in a clinical setting.

DESIGN

Secondary analyses of data about attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) characteristics, body satisfaction, social and emotional functioning, and the primary outcome, change in body mass index (BMI), were available for 41 out of 72 children and their families randomised to family-based behavioural treatment over 6 months or waiting list control. Regression analyses, with an interaction term for treatment condition, were performed to explore baseline factors and moderators of outcome.

RESULTS

Parents reporting their child's emotional well-being as high and high maternal education significantly predicted less weight loss for the total sample, with no effect of ethnicity, age, sex or baseline BMI. Children's social functioning was a significant moderator of treatment effect; children with high social function showed a decrease in BMI after 6 months of therapy (R²=0.08-0.13), whereas an increase in BMI was observed in children with high social function who waited for treatment. For children with poor social function, no treatment effect was observed-subjects lost weight in both conditions. No significant moderation effect was found for body (dis)satisfaction, emotional status, comorbid depression or ADHD, adjusting for baseline BMI, age, sex and ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary findings suggest directions for development of tailored obesity programmes. Professionals engaged in treatment of childhood obesity should consider a child's emotional and social functioning when considering group obesity intervention, as well as the risks of no intervention.

Association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery: a nationwide propensity-matched cohort study

BACKGROUND

The risks and benefits of metabolic and bariatric surgery for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remain to be investigated.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess short- and long-term outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery in patients with previous ADHD compared with matched control individuals.

SETTING

Registry based.

METHODS

This 2-staged matched-cohort study included all adults with a body mass index of ≥30 kg/m² who underwent primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy from 2007 until 2017 registered in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry. Patients with prescribed medication for ADHD were matched with control individuals without ADHD with a follow-up of up to 11 years after surgery.

RESULTS

Among 1431 patients with ADHD and 2862 control individuals (mean body mass index, 42 kg/m²; mean age, 35 years), no difference in weight loss or follow-up attendance over 2 years was seen. ADHD was associated with a higher risk for early postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.63), self-harm (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.11-1.75), and substance abuse (HR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.16-1.55), while associations with overall mortality (HR = 1.42; 95% CI, .99-2.03), major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (HR = 1.93; 95% CI, .98-3.83), and effects on obesity-related diseases were uncertain. ADHD was associated with a lower health-related quality of life in all aspects before surgery. These differences increased for mental and obesity-related aspects but remained unchanged over time for physical aspects.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with patients without ADHD, patients treated pharmacologically for ADHD experience similar weight loss and remission of obesity-related diseases without an increased risk for serious complications but report a lower health-related quality of life and have an increased risk of substance abuse and self-harm. This further emphasizes the need for close follow-up care for this group of individuals.

Effects of Physical Activity on Inhibitory Function in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of physical activity (PA) on inhibitory function in children with ADHD. Experimental studies on the effect of PA on the inhibitory function of children with ADHD were retrieved. The data were obtained from PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EBSCO (MEDLINE, APA Psyclnfo, ERIC), Embase, Scopus, and ProQuest. The search period was from the date of inception of the respective databases to 4 May 2022, and Reviewer Manager software (version 5.3) was used for analysis. Eleven articles and 713 samples were included in the meta-analysis. Results revealed that PA can significantly improve the inhibitory function of children with ADHD (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.45−1.10, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that the effectiveness of PA as an intervention in improving the inhibitory function of children with ADHD was moderated by the frequency, intensity, duration, type, and length of intervention. Based on the findings, PA can effectively improve interference suppression inhibitory function in children with ADHD. Longitudinal open-skill exercise for 60 min or more, two times/week has the best effect on improving inhibitory function in children with ADHD.

ADHD Symptoms and Obesity in Chinese Children and Adolescents: A Longitudinal Study With Abnormal Eating Behaviors as Moderating Factors

BACKGROUND

Emerging studies have explored the possibility of ADHD and associated abnormal eating behaviors as catalysts for obesity in children and adolescents. However, results were largely inconsistent. This study aims to explore the effects of ADHD and abnormal eating behaviors (including eating disorders, emotional eating, and bedtime eating) on obesity, and to assess the moderating role of abnormal eating behaviors between ADHD symptoms and BMI in Chinese children and adolescents.

METHODS

We recruited 546 grade 3 to 11 students and their parents by stratified random sampling from three primary schools and four middle schools in Shanghai, China. This study used parent-reported versions of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV to assess ADHD symptoms, the Eating Attitudes Test and the Children's Eating Attitude Test to assess eating disorder (ED) symptoms, and the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire to collect information about other abnormal eating behaviors at baseline and at a follow-up survey 1 year later.

RESULTS

Hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that ED played a moderating role in the relationship between ADHD symptoms and BMI in addition to age (β = .003, p = .008). The simple slope test showed that ADHD symptoms positively correlated with BMI ofs in the older age group with a high level of ED symptoms (β = .16, p < .001). Moreover, the baseline ED symptoms (β = .03, p = .032) and ADHD symptoms (β = .12, p = .015) increased the students' BMI one year later after controlling for confounding factors.

CONCLUSION

Findings of this study suggest that ADHD and ED symptoms raised the students' BMI separately. Moreover, ADHD and ED symptoms raised the students' BMI separately. Moreover, a combined high level of ADHD and ED symptoms is correlated with students' high BMI in the older age group.

How to Mitigate Risk of Premature Cardiovascular Disease Among Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Conditions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The goal of this article is to characterize the myriad of ways that children with mental health conditions can be at risk for premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) and various modalities to ameliorate this risk in childhood in order to improve the life course of these children.

REVIEW FINDINGS

Child and adolescent mental health conditions are a common yet underrecognized risk factor for premature CVD. The American Heart Association has recently included psychiatric conditions as a CVD risk factor (CVDRF) and the evidence linking childhood adversity to cardiometabolic disease. There are bidirectional and additive effects from the intrinsic emotional dysregulation and inflammatory changes from the mental health condition, the associations with risky health behaviors, and in some cases, metabolic side effects from pharmacotherapy. These pathways can be potentiated by toxic stress, a physiologic response to stressors from childhood adversity. Toxic stress is also associated with development of mental health conditions with epigenetic effects that can result in transgenerational inheritance of cardiometabolic risk. Exposure to toxic stress and mental health conditions in isolation sometimes compounded by pharmacotherapies used in treatment increase the risk of cardiometabolic diseases in childhood. The multiple pathways, which adversely influence cardiometabolic outcomes, encourage clinicians to consider strategies to mitigate these factors and justify the importance of early screening and treatment for CVDRFs. Mental health, health behaviors, and environmental factors co-occur and intersect in complex pathways that can increase CVD risk over the lifespan. Early detection and response can mitigate the risks associated with premature development of CVD.

ADHD in childhood predicts BMI and body composition measurements over time in a population-based birth cohort

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Obesity has been reported as an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidity. So far, few studies have aimed to explore the potential causal relationship between ADHD and obesity, as well as used other measures of body composition like fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) as measures of obesity. This study aimed to test the association between ADHD and body composition (body mass index [BMI] and others) and to evaluate the potential causal relationship with obesity.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Data from the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort at age 11-, 15-, 18-, and 22-year follow-up was used. We performed a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM) analysis between ADHD symptoms and BMI to explore the causal relationship between both traits. Finally, we tested whether ADHD, inattention, and hyperactivity symptom scales were associated with BMI, FM, and FFM at 22 years.

RESULTS

In the CLPM, higher ADHD scores at age 11 predicted higher BMI at age 15 (β = 0.055, 95% CI [0.037; 0.073]). ADHD symptoms at age 11 was also associated with a decrease in the FFM (β = -0.16, 95% CI [-0.28; -0.05]), and an increase in the BMI (β = 0.17, 95% CI [0.10; 0.23]) and FM (β = 0.17, 95% CI [0.06; 0.29]) at 22 years. At 22 years of age, ADHD was associated with FFM and FM. Moreover, an increase in BMI was observed with an increase in several symptoms of ADHD in general (β = 0.06, 95% CI [0.004; 0.12]), and hyperactivity symptoms (β = 0.15, 95% CI [0.05; 0.25]).

CONCLUSION

ADHD at 11 years predicted a higher BMI at 15 years, and body fat composition in adulthood, suggesting higher scores on ADHD symptoms in early life may be a critical point for body composition in early adulthood. The hyperactivity symptoms may play an important role in the BMI increase.

Meeting the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Outcomes in Adolescents with ADHD: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

According to the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, meeting daily recommendations for physical activity, sleep, and screen time is important for obtaining optimal health benefits. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to examine (a) the prevalence of meeting the movement guidelines; and (b) the associations between meeting the guidelines and selected outcomes in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Data from the 2018–2019 National Survey for Children’s Health dataset was used. Participants were adolescents (10–17 years) with ADHD and without other chronic conditions. Outcomes were flourishing, school engagement, and body weight status. Exposures of interest were adherence to the movement guidelines. The frequency of the participants’ adherence to the guidelines was estimated, and regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between adherence to the guidelines and outcomes, adjusting for potential confounders. Complete observations were available for 634 adolescents with ADHD. Overall, 46.8% of the participants met at least one movement guideline, but only 6.5% met all three. The number of guidelines met had a significant and positive association with flourishing and school engagement (β = 0.21/0.17, p_trend < 0.001). Compared with meeting all three guidelines, significant associations with lower flourishing levels were found in participants who met none, sleep only, and sedentary time only (β = −0.38–−0.13, p < 0.05). Similar findings were identified in the school engagement outcome. Adherence to the guidelines was, however, not significantly associated with the odds of being overweight or obese. Collectively, the findings suggest the movement guidelines may be appropriate for extending to adolescents with ADHD and there is a need to increase adherence to the guidelines in this group.

Medical conditions and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms from early childhood to adolescence

The comorbidity between physical and mental health conditions is challenging and frequently goes unrecognized in practice. Associations between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and physical conditions have been reported in youth. However, prior research failed to: (1) address the patterns of associations in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence within the same population sample; (2) consider a large set of physical disorders at the same time; (3) take confounders into account. Our goal was to assess the associations between ADHD symptoms and a broad set of physical conditions across developmental periods. This birth cohort study (n = 2057) is the first to explore the associations between ADHD and a wide range of medical conditions by encompassing the whole early development from 5 months to 17 years in the same sample and relying on innovative network analyses. We found significant associations between ADHD symptoms and several physical conditions, some of which were observed in early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence (e.g., asthma, sleep problems) or were confounded by socioeconomic status or psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., body mass index, dental caries). The study calls for an effective integrated care model encompassing mental and general healthcare across the developmental period.

Obesity and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

An association between ADHD and obesity has been established throughout the past 20 years via animal model experiments and both correlational and longitudinal studies in humans. However, much remains to be determined regarding causality, developmental course, and effective treatments targeting both conditions. This chapter provides an overview and update on the current state of the science on the relationship between obesity and ADHD; expands the scope of the connection between obesity and ADHD to include behavioral components important to weight regulation - i.e., physical activity, eating behaviors, and sleep; and presents applications of these findings to treatment approaches and future directions.

Do Emotion Dysregulation, Alexithymia and Personality Dimensions Explain the Association Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Binge Eating Among Bariatric Surgery Candidates?

Background: Addictive-like eating and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are both common among persons seeking treatment for severe obesity. Given that ADHD and addictive-like eating, especially binge eating (BE) and food addiction (FA), are both strongly associated with personality dimensions and emotion dysregulation, it is possible emotional and personality characteristics contribute to the link between addictive-like eating behaviors and ADHD in people with severe obesity. This study aimed to investigate the psychological factors associated with BE and FA in bariatric surgery candidates, and to explore the mediational role of emotional factors (emotion dysregulation and alexithymia) and personality dimensions in the association between ADHD and BE.

Method: Two hundred and eighty-two (n = 282) bariatric surgery candidates were recruited during the systematic preoperative psychiatric assessment (University Hospital of Tours, France). We assessed significant BE (Binge Eating Scale), probable adult ADHD (Wender Utah Render Scale and Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale), FA (Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, YFAS 2.0), emotion dysregulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20) and personality dimensions (Big Five Inventory). Mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro for IBM SPSS Statistics 22.

Results: Prevalence of probable adult ADHD, significant BE and FA were 8.2, 19.1, and 26.6%, respectively. Participants who screened positive for addictive-like eating showed higher prevalence of probable adult ADHD, as well as higher scores on adult and childhood ADHD symptoms. They also reported lower conscientiousness, but higher emotion dysregulation, higher alexithymia, and higher neuroticism. Only BE (as opposed to FA) was also associated with lower scores on agreeableness and openness. Analysis of the association between adult ADHD and BE suggests that emotion dysregulation, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism are total mediators and alexithymia a partial mediator.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest a significant association between ADHD and addictive-like eating among bariatric surgery candidates, and also suggest a significant role of emotion dysregulation and personality dimensions in this association. For individuals with ADHD and obesity, eating may be a way to cope with negative emotions, potentially increasing the risk for addictive-like eating behavior.

Non-mental diseases associated with ADHD across the lifespan: Fidgety Philipp and Pippi Longstocking at risk of multimorbidity?

Several non-mental diseases seem to be associated with an increased risk of ADHD and ADHD seems to be associated with increased risk for non-mental diseases. The underlying trajectories leading to such brain-body co-occurrences are often unclear - are there direct causal relationships from one disorder to the other, or does the sharing of genetic and/or environmental risk factors lead to their occurring together more frequently or both? Our goal with this narrative review was to provide a conceptual synthesis of the associations between ADHD and non-mental disease across the lifespan. We discuss potential shared pathologic mechanisms, genetic background and treatments in co-occurring diseases. For those co-occurrences for which published studies with sufficient sample sizes exist, meta-analyses have been published by others and we discuss those in detail. We conclude that non-mental diseases are common in ADHD and vice versa and add to the disease burden of the patient across the lifespan. Insufficient attention to such co-occurring conditions may result in missed diagnoses and suboptimal treatment in the affected individuals.

The prevalence and risk factors for overweight/obesity among Turkish children with neurodevelopmental disorders

OBJECTIVE

To compare the prevalence and correlates of overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) between autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to investigate which variables significantly contribute to OW/OB in each group.

METHODS

Of 267 cases (96 with ASD, 80 with ID, and 91 with ADHD) aged 2-18 years, body mass index (BMI) percentiles, birth weight, food reward usage, weekly screen and physical activity time, and psychotropics used were recorded.

RESULTS

OB (OB + OW) prevalence was 22.9 % (36.4 %) in ASD; 22.5 % (40 %) in ID; and 17.6 % (27.5 %) in ADHD. Although the ADHD group had the highest rate of stimulant usage (χ2 = 69.605, p < 0.001), physical activity attendance (χ2 = 49.751, p < 0.001), and the lowest anti-psychotic (χ2 = 69.142, p < 0.001), and anti-depressant usage (χ2 = 7.219, p < 0.001) than ID/DD or ASD, BMI percentile of the participants did not differ between the groups (H(2) = 1.652, p = 0.43). In hierarchical logistic regression analysis, in ASD, food reward (OR = 4.65, 95 %Cl = 1.25-17.19) and the number of psychotropics used (OR = 2.168, 95 %Cl = 1.07-4.36) were significantly related to the risk of OW/OB. In ADHD, each drugs administered and a 1-kilogram elevation in birth weight was associated with a 4.09 and 2.82 increased risk for OW/OB.

CONCLUSION

OW/OB is prevalent in children with neurodevelopmental disorders regardless of their diagnosis. Our findings showed that food rewards put a higher risk for OW/OB in ASD than administering a psychotropic. It could be better to use other positive reinforcements other than edible ones to prevent OW/OB in these children.

Methylphenidate and atomoxetine treatment negatively affect physical growth indexes of school-age children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

AIM

To determine the effects of drug therapy on the physical growth of school-age children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

METHOD

The medical records of 86 participants (average age: 8.9 ± 2.2 years) with ADHD prescribed methylphenidate (MPH) or atomoxetine (ATX) for ≥24 weeks from the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University were analysed.

RESULTS

The Z-scores of height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of children with ADHD decreased significantly over the first six months of MPH treatment (P < 0.001). The slopes of the fitting lines after the first six months of MPH (-0.18, -0.58 and -0.69, respectively) returned over the entire treatment (the slopes changed to -0.027, -0.26 and -0.20, respectively). For ATX, the Z-scores of height of children decreased significantly over the first six months (P < 0.001), but the Z-scores of weight and BMI did not (P > 0.05). The slopes of the fitting lines after the first six months of ATX (-0.058, -0.032 and 0.0094, respectively) changed over the entire treatment (slopes were 0.16, 0.52 and 0.26, respectively). Children taking MPH were more likely to report decreased appetite (P < 0.05). The weight and BMI of the children receiving MPH were significantly correlated with decreased appetite (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The physical growth indexes (PGIs) of school-age children and adolescents with ADHD were negatively affected while taking MPH, and these effects were gradually mitigated with continued treatment. ATX hardly had negative effects on weight and BMI. Neither MPH nor ATX had a significant negative effect on the height of children in long-term ADHD treatment. It is necessary for clinicians to consider children's diet during treatment.

Longitudinal Associations Between Symptoms of ADHD and BMI From Late Childhood to Early Adulthood

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity are 2 frequent conditions that co-occur, which has implications for the management of both conditions. We hypothesized that ADHD symptoms predict BMI and vice versa from late childhood (10-12 years) up to early adulthood (20-22 years).

METHODS

Participants were adolescents in the Netherlands (n = 2773, 52.5% male, mean age = 11 years at baseline, 5 waves up to mean age 22) from the Tracking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey cohort. We examined bidirectional relationship between ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention) and BMI using the random intercept cross-lagged panel model. Time-varying covariates were pubertal status, stimulant use, depressive symptoms, and family functioning, and socioeconomic status was a time-invariant covariate.

RESULTS

We found a time-invariant association of BMI with hyperactivity and impulsivity, but not with inattention, which was slightly stronger in female adolescents (female: r = 0.102; male: r = 0.086, P < .05). No longitudinal direct effects were found between ADHD symptoms and BMI during this period.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the course of adolescence, the link between ADHD and BMI is stable and is predominantly with hyperactive and impulsive symptoms rather than inattention. There was no direct effect of ADHD symptoms on BMI increase nor of BMI on enhanced ADHD symptoms during this developmental period. The findings point to a shared genetic or familial background and/or potential causal effects established already earlier in childhood, thus suggesting that intervention and prevention programs targeting overweight and obesity in children with ADHD should be implemented in early childhood.

Do ADHD-impulsivity and BMI have shared polygenic and neural correlates?

There is an extensive body of literature linking ADHD to overweight and obesity. Research indicates that impulsivity features of ADHD account for a degree of this overlap. The neural and polygenic correlates of this association have not been thoroughly examined. In participants of the IMAGEN study, we found that impulsivity symptoms and body mass index (BMI) were associated (r = 0.10, n = 874, p = 0.014 FWE corrected), as were their respective polygenic risk scores (PRS) (r = 0.17, n = 874, p = 6.5 × 10-6 FWE corrected). We then examined whether the phenotypes of impulsivity and BMI, and the PRS scores of ADHD and BMI, shared common associations with whole-brain grey matter and the Monetary Incentive Delay fMRI task, which associates with reward-related impulsivity. A sparse partial least squared analysis (sPLS) revealed a shared neural substrate that associated with both the phenotypes and PRS scores. In a last step, we conducted a bias corrected bootstrapped mediation analysis with the neural substrate score from the sPLS as the mediator. The ADHD PRS associated with impulsivity symptoms (b = 0.006, 90% CIs = 0.001, 0.019) and BMI (b = 0.009, 90% CIs = 0.001, 0.025) via the neuroimaging substrate. The BMI PRS associated with BMI (b = 0.014, 95% CIs = 0.003, 0.033) and impulsivity symptoms (b = 0.009, 90% CIs = 0.001, 0.025) via the neuroimaging substrate. A common neural substrate may (in part) underpin shared genetic liability for ADHD and BMI and the manifestation of their (observable) phenotypic association.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Association With Obesity and Eating Disorders

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common treatable psychiatric illnesses that affect all age groups from children to adults. Most commonly it is diagnosed in childhood or during teenage years. It can affect the mental and physical health of an individual and disrupt normal academic, career, and social functioning. The quality of life of the individual is affected; thus if diagnosed and treated, the results are good. Obesity and eating disorders are one of the comorbidities associated with ADHD and can lead to various other health problems. This study was done to find out the association between ADHD, obesity, eating disorders, and the effect of medication. We collected data from various studies through multiple electronic databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar. We found 8610 relevant articles and finally narrowed it down to 30 using various criteria. An association was found between ADHD, obesity, and eating disorders, although the mechanism linking ADHD, obesity, and eating disorders still remains unclear according to most studies. Some studies say ADHD medication helps in losing gained weight; some say they do not affect the weight.

Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for the identification and treatment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in girls and women

BACKGROUND

There is evidence to suggest that the broad discrepancy in the ratio of males to females with diagnosed ADHD is due, at least in part, to lack of recognition and/or referral bias in females. Studies suggest that females with ADHD present with differences in their profile of symptoms, comorbidity and associated functioning compared with males. This consensus aims to provide a better understanding of females with ADHD in order to improve recognition and referral. Comprehensive assessment and appropriate treatment is hoped to enhance longer-term clinical outcomes and patient wellbeing for females with ADHD.

METHODS

The United Kingdom ADHD Partnership hosted a meeting of experts to discuss symptom presentation, triggers for referral, assessment, treatment and multi-agency liaison for females with ADHD across the lifespan.

RESULTS

A consensus was reached offering practical guidance to support medical and mental health practitioners working with females with ADHD. The potential challenges of working with this patient group were identified, as well as specific barriers that may hinder recognition. These included symptomatic differences, gender biases, comorbidities and the compensatory strategies that may mask or overshadow underlying symptoms of ADHD. Furthermore, we determined the broader needs of these patients and considered how multi-agency liaison may provide the support to meet them.

CONCLUSIONS

This practical approach based upon expert consensus will inform effective identification, treatment and support of girls and women with ADHD. It is important to move away from the prevalent perspective that ADHD is a behavioural disorder and attend to the more subtle and/or internalised presentation that is common in females. It is essential to adopt a lifespan model of care to support the complex transitions experienced by females that occur in parallel to change in clinical presentation and social circumstances. Treatment with pharmacological and psychological interventions is expected to have a positive impact leading to increased productivity, decreased resource utilization and most importantly, improved long-term outcomes for girls and women.

Psychiatric Aspects of Obesity: A Narrative Review of Pathophysiology and Psychopathology

In the last decades, obesity has become a major concern for clinical and public health. Despite the variety of available treatments, the outcomes remain—by and large—still unsatisfactory, owing to high rates of nonresponse and relapse. Interestingly, obesity is being associated with a growing surge of neuropsychiatric problems, certainly related to the pathogenesis of this condition, and likely to be of great consequence as for its treatment and prognosis. In a neurobiologic direction, a sturdy body of evidence has recently shown that the immune–metabolic–endocrine dyscrasias, notoriously attached to excess body weight/adiposity, affect and impair the morpho-functional integrity of the brain, thus possibly contributing to neuroprogressive/degenerative processes and behavioral deviances. Likewise, in a neuropsychiatric perspective, obesity displays complex associations with mood disorders and affective temperamental dimensions (namely cyclothymia), eating disorders characterized by overeating/binge-eating behaviors, ADHD-related executive dysfunctions, emotional dysregulation and motivational–addictive disturbances. With this review, we attempt to provide the clinician a synoptic, yet exhaustive, tool for a more conscious approach to that subset of this condition, which could be reasonably termed “psychiatric” obesity.

The Mediating Effect of Self-Regulation in the Association Between Poverty and Child Weight: A Systematic Review

Deficits in self-regulation (SR) have been proposed as a potential contributor to child overweight/obesity, a public health concern that disproportionately affects children living in poverty. Although poverty is known to influence SR, SR has not been considered as a potential mechanism in the association between poverty and child obesity. The aim of the current paper was to systematically review the current literature to determine whether SR is a viable mechanism in the relationship between child exposure to poverty and later risk of overweight/obesity. We systematically review and summarize literature in three related areas with the aim of generating a developmentally informed model that accounts for the consistent association between poverty and child weight, specifically how: (1) poverty relates to child weight, (2) poverty relates to child SR, and (3) SR is associated with weight. To quantify the strength of associations for each pathway, effect sizes were collected and aggregated. Findings from the studies included suggest small but potentially meaningful associations between poverty and child SR and between SR and child weight. The conceptualization and measurement of SR, however, varied across literature studies and made it difficult to determine whether SR can feasibly connect poverty to child obesity. Although SR may be a promising potential target for obesity intervention for low-income children, additional research on how SR affects risk of obesity is crucial, especially based on the lack of success of the limited number of SR-promoting interventions for improving children's weight outcomes.

Study of disturbed eating behaviors in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Background

There is emergent evidence that disturbed eating behaviors, including emotional eating and obesity, co-occur with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The hypothesis that disturbed eating behaviors in ADHD children are related to ADHD symptom severity, so we aimed to examine the link between ADHD symptoms and eating behaviors.

Results

Fifty ADHD children were included, and they completed the Emotional Eating scale adapted for children (ESS-C) to evaluate eating in response to emotions. Parents completed the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) to assess children’s eating behavior. Multivariable regression analysis was used to detect the most independent factor for higher body mass index (BMI) risk. Higher rates of overweight/obesity were detected among ADHD children than among the normal population. Also, higher Conners global index was associated with higher BMI z scores. Both inattentive and combined types were linked to higher BMI, while hyperactive type with lower BMI. Regarding eating behaviors, a positive association between food approach and BMI, and a negative association between food avoidant and BMI z-scores was found. Similarly, there was a noteworthy positive relation between emotional overeating and BMI. Sixty-eight of ADHD children were high emotional eaters, mainly inattentive and combined types. Others, mainly hyperactive type, were low emotional eaters. Only ESS-C total score was confirmed as an independent factor for higher BMI risk.

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence that emotional overeating and food approach eating behaviors are common among ADHD children with higher BMI associated with them. Future studies for a better understanding of this overlap will enhance potential interventions.

The Association between ADHD and Obesity: Intriguing, Progressively More Investigated, but Still Puzzling

This narrative review is aimed at presenting the most recent evidence on the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity. The review is informed by previous relevant systematic reviews and a search in Pubmed and PsycINFO up to 1 August 2019. Although the association between ADHD and obesity would seem, at first, paradoxical, in the past two decades there has been an increasing number of studies on this topic. The present review shows that there is meta-analytic evidence supporting a significant association between these two conditions, at least in adults. Growing evidence is also being published on the genetic and environmental factors underlying the association. However, the cause–effects paths, as well as the exact mechanisms explaining the association, remain unclear. Additionally, empirical evidence guiding the management/treatment of patients with the two conditions is still limited. Therefore, after almost 20 years from the first report of a link between ADHD and obesity, this association continues to be puzzling.

Association between inflammatory cytokines and ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents with obesity: A pilot study

Whilst the association between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and obesity is supported by meta-analytic evidence, the mechanisms underpinning this link need to be further elucidated. Inflammatory processes may increase the risk of ADHD symptoms in individuals with obesity. This pilot study set out to start testing this hypothesis by assessing the correlation between serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and ADHD symptoms severity in a sample of children and adolescents with obesity. We measured ADHD symptoms severity in 52 children/adolescents with obesity (BMI > 95th centile) with the Conners questionnaire, revised, short version, parent (CPRS-R:S) and teacher (CTRS-R:S) versions. Additionally, a categorical diagnosis of ADHD was established using the Kiddie-SADS-PL. Serum levels of IL-6, Il-10, and TNF-alpha were also obtained. The prevalence of ADHD was 9.6%. We found a significant correlation between IL-6, as well as TNF-alpha, and hyperactivity/impulsivity subscores of the CPRS-R:S and CTRS-R:S, that held even after controlling for BMI and oppositional symptoms. This study provides a rationale for larger, longitudinal studies to gain insight into inflammatory processes underpinning the link between obesity and ADHD. This line of research has the potential to lead to novel, pathophysiologically-based management strategies for individuals with obesity and ADHD.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To present current data on the coexistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults and children and to discuss possible mechanisms.

RECENT FINDINGS

Emerging data suggest that risk factors for obesity and insulin resistance such as diabetes during pregnancy and intrauterine growth failure may also have a role in the development of ADHD. Furthermore, ADHD and obesity share lifestyle factors, such as abnormal eating patterns, binge eating, and a sedentary lifestyle. ADHD is a risk factor for components of the metabolic syndrome, particularly obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and also hypertension, both in adults and youth. Associations of ADHD with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension have been ascertained, and various mechanisms have been proposed. Research is needed to decipher the shared genetic, pharmacological, and lifestyle risk factors. Individuals with ADHD should be treated as a high-risk group for cardiometabolic complications.

Overweight in family members of probands with ADHD

The widely reported association between ADHD and overweight may be attributable to genetic and environmental factors also present in unaffected family members. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between ADHD and overweight within families. A cohort was used of families with at least one member with ADHD, recruited as part of the Dutch node of the International Multicenter ADHD Genetics (IMAGE) study, with assessments taking place between 2003 and 2006, 2009 and 2012, and 2013 and 2015. The three assessment waves yielded N = 1828 youth assessments and N = 998 parent assessments from N = 447 unique families. Overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile for youth of the same age and sex; overweight in adults as a BMI ≥ 25. Effects of age, gender, and medication use (psychostimulants, antipsychotics, and melatonin) were taken into account. Generalized estimation equations were used to correct for within-family and within-subject correlations. There was no difference in risk between ADHD-affected youth and their unaffected siblings (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.78-1.09). However, compared to population prevalence data, all ADHD family members alike were at increased risk for being overweight: ADHD-affected youth (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.13-1.59), unaffected siblings (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.45-2.08), mothers (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.40-2.17) and fathers (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.46-2.15). Parental overweight-but not parental ADHD-was predictive of offspring overweight (mothers OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.14-1.73, fathers OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.41-2.36). Being overweight runs in ADHD families, yet is not specifically linked to ADHD within families. Shared unhealthy lifestyle factors (including nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress) as well as genetic factors shared by family members likely explain the findings.

Dysfunctional Eating Patterns of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This study aimed to examine whether adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in students is associated with overeating or with unhealthy food choices. Sixty university students with and without ADHD, aged 20 to 30 years, completed the Food Frequency Questionnaire and reported their height and weight. Students with ADHD had a higher body mass index compared with students without ADHD. Although participants in both groups consumed similar amounts of servings, calories, and nutrients, students with ADHD reported lower healthy/unhealthy food consumption ratio. These findings suggest that ADHD in students is not associated with general overeating, but with a biased proportion of unhealthy versus healthy food consumption.

Effects of long-term methylphenidate use on growth and blood pressure: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS)

BACKGROUND

Concerns have been raised over the safety of methylphenidate (MPH), with regard to adverse effects on growth and blood pressure. Our study investigates whether, and to what extent, methylphenidate use in boys with ADHD is associated with having low body mass index (BMI), having low height, and increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

METHODS

Data used for this study stem from the German KiGGS dataset. Three different groups of boys aged 6-15 years were included in the analysis: ADHD patients who used MPH for less than 12 months; ADHD patients who used MPH for 12 months or more; and ADHD patients without current MPH treatment. Each of these three groups was compared to a non-ADHD control group regarding low weight (BMI ≤ 3rd percentile), low height (≤3rd percentile) and raised systolic and diastolic blood pressure. For growth outcomes, boys were categorized according to age (< 11 years/≥11 years, to account for pubertal maturation). Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to test for associations.

RESULTS

4244 boys were included in the study; MPH < 12 months: n = 65 (n = 36 < 11 years), MPH ≥ 12 months: n = 53 (n = 22 < 11 years), ADHD controls: n = 320 (n = 132 < 11 years), non-ADHD controls: n = 3806 (n = 2003 < 11 years). Pre-pubertal boys with MPH use less than 12 months and pubertal/postpubertal boys with MPH use of 12 months or greater were significantly more likely to have a BMI ≤ 3rd percentile compared to non-ADHD controls. Boys from the ADHD control group were significantly less likely to have a raised systolic blood pressure compared to non-ADHD controls. Beyond that, no significant between group differences were observed for any other growth and BP parameter.

CONCLUSION

The analyses of the KiGGS dataset showed that MPH use in boys with ADHD is associated with low BMI. However, this effect was only observed in certain groups. Furthermore, our analysis was unable to confirm that MPH use is also associated with low height (≤3rd percentile) and changes in blood pressure.

Psychostimulants: Influence on Body Mass Index and Height in a Pediatric Population with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

OBJECTIVES

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often treated with psychostimulants. Psychostimulants' adverse effects on body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-sds) and height in children/adolescents with ADHD have been reported. However, literature is inconsistent, and it is unclear whether the observed effects are dosage- and/or BMI-dependent. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective observational study is to evaluate the influence of psychostimulants on BMI-sds and height-sds in a pediatric cohort with ADHD from an outpatient clinic, and to study the correlation between psychostimulant dosage and BMI-sds and height-sds change.

METHOD

Participants ≤18 years of age diagnosed with ADHD who started with psychostimulants (methylphenidate) were studied. Changes in BMI-sds and height-sds over an 18-month treatment period were assessed in subgroups according to baseline BMI-sds, gender, and age. Furthermore, correlations between BMI-sds, height-sds, and psychostimulant dose were studied.

RESULTS

In total, 298 participants [median age 9.8 years, height-sds 0.0, BMI-sds 0.5, psychostimulant dosage 0.5 (0.2-1.4) mg/kg/day] were analyzed, with an underweight, overweight, and obesity prevalence of 5%, 21%, and 7%, respectively. After 18 months of treatment a significant decline in BMI-sds (-0.4) and height-sds (-0.2) was observed. These effects were consistent in all subgroups except for no change in BMI-sds in the underweight subgroup and no change in height-sds in the overweight subgroup. Medication dosage was weakly correlated with change in BMI-sds [r = -0.3 (-0.9 to +0.5); p < 0.01] and height-sds [r = -0.2 (-0.4 to -0.1); p = 0.01].

CONCLUSION

After 18 months of psychostimulant treatment, a significant decline in BMI-sds and height-sds was observed. However, the correlation with psychostimulant dosage was weak, and the decline was not observed in all subgroups. Therefore, further studies on the etiology of BMI-change are warranted, particularly with regard to the ADHD symptoms.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity-disorder and obesity: A review and model of current hypotheses explaining their comorbidity

Available meta-analyses point to a significant association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity. The possible mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear. Here, we overview the studies aimed at identifying the factors contributing to the comorbidity between ADHD and obesity, including genetic factors, fetal programming, executive dysfunctions, psychosocial stress, factors directly related to energy balance, and sleep patterns alterations. The bulk of current research has focused on reduced physical activity and abnormal eating patterns as possible causes of weight gain in individuals with ADHD. Further research is needed to explore the specific role of executive dysfunctions. None of the available published studies have evaluated physiological mechanisms such as hormonal and metabolic disorders or inappropriate neurobiological regulation of appetite. Research exploring the genetic basis for the coexistence of ADHD and obesity and epigenetic mechanisms, with particular emphasis on stress, both pre- and postnatal, seems particularly promising. Here, we propose a biopsychosocial model to integrate current findings and move the field forward to gain insight into the ADHD-obesity relationship.

Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A comprehensive review of the evidence

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered the most common behavioural disorder in school-age children. ADHD is a complex and multifactorial disorder characterised by a variety of symptoms, including concentration problems, excessive motor activity and impulsivity which interferes with execution of simple school tasks. Diagnosis has been essentially subjective, since no specific laboratory tests are available. However, ADHD remains overdiagnosed, probably due to social pressures for children to be successful in school from an early age, which leads parents to seek medical support. Although therapeutic approaches for ADHD have been essentially pharmacologic, in recent years several studies were performed to investigate the role of nutrition, especially omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega 3-PUFA), in the development and treatment of this disorder. In this review, the authors gathered the most relevant evidence regarding omega 3-PUFA, mainly docosahexaenoic acid, as coadjutant or as a single therapy, in the management of ADHD symptoms. The authors also reviewed this disorder's current medical and therapeutic features.

Increased deficits in emotion recognition and regulation in children and adolescents with exogenous obesity

OBJECTIVES

In this study we aimed to evaluate emotion recognition and emotion regulation skills of children with exogenous obesity between the ages of 11 and 18 years and compare them with healthy controls.

METHODS

The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children was used for psychiatric evaluations. Emotion recognition skills were evaluated using Faces Test and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. The Difficulties in Emotions Regulation Scale was used for evaluating skills of emotion regulation.

RESULTS

Children with obesity had lower scores on Faces Test and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, and experienced greater difficulty in emotional regulation skills.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved understanding of emotional recognition and emotion regulation in young people with obesity may improve their social adaptation and help in the treatment of their disorder. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate both emotional recognition and emotion regulation functions in obese children and obese adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age.

Maternal body mass index before pregnancy as a risk factor for ADHD and autism in children

The risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may be influenced by environmental factors such as maternal obesity before pregnancy. Previous studies investigating those associations have found divergent results. We aim to investigate in a large birth cohort this association further in children with ADHD, ASD and comorbid ADHD and ASD. Our study population consisted of 81,892 mother-child pairs participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Information about pre-pregnancy weight and height was collected in week 16 of pregnancy; the analysis was divided into groups based on BMI. Children with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD and/or ASD were identified in the Danish health registries at an average age of 13.3 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using time-to-event analysis. Compared to normal weight mothers, the risk of having a child with ADHD was significantly increased if the mother was overweight (HR = 1.28 [95% CI 1.15;1.48]), obese (HR = 1.47 [95% CI 1.26;1.71]) or severely obese (HR = 1.95 [95% CI 1.58;2.40]). The same pattern was seen for the combined ADHD and ASD group. Regarding ASD, an increased risk was observed in underweight (HR = 1.30 [95% CI 1.01;1.69]) and obese (HR = 1.39 [95% CI 1.11;1.75]) mothers. Subgroup analysis revealed that the association in the ADHD group could mostly be attributable to the hyperactive group. Maternal obesity before pregnancy is a risk factor for ADHD in children. Maternal obesity as well as underweight may also be associated with an increased risk for ASD.

Adult ADHD and Comorbid Somatic Disease: A Systematic Literature Review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review, synthesize, and appraise available evidence, connecting adult ADHD with somatic disease.

METHOD

Embase, Psychinfo, and Medline databases were searched for studies published from 1994 to 2015 addressing adult ADHD and somatic comorbidity. Somatic conditions were classified according to International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes. Levels of evidence were graded as inconclusive, tentative, or well documented.

RESULTS

Most of the 126 studies included in the qualitative synthesis were small and of modest quality. Obesity, sleep disorders, and asthma were well-documented comorbidities in adult ADHD. Tentative evidence was found for an association between adult ADHD and migraine and celiac disease. In a large health registry study, cardiovascular disease was not associated with adult ADHD.

CONCLUSION

There are few large systematic studies using standardized diagnostic criteria evaluating adult ADHD and somatic comorbidities. Significant associations are found between adult ADHD and several somatic diseases, and these are important to consider when assessing and treating either adult ADHD or the somatic diseases.

The Role of Uncontrolled Eating and Screen Time in the Link of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with Weight in Late Childhood

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the mediating roles of uncontrolled eating and sedentary behaviours in the link of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and weight.

METHODS

A total of 352 children in fifth and sixth grade participated in the present study by completing the self-rated Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire and Children of Alcoholics Screening Test during regular classes. An additional questionnaire completed by their parents provided information about the children's ADHD and emotional symptoms, sedentary behaviour based on screen time, and parental variables. The questionnaires were surveyed within one week after their schools' annual physical check-up.

RESULTS

Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that uncontrolled eating was complete mediator in association between ADHD symptoms and body mass index (BMI) for boys, incomplete mediator for girls. However, screen time had no significant effect on the ADHD symptoms-BMI link for both gender.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest that gender specific intervention programs may be need to help eating behaviour in children with ADHD and overweight.

The Impact of Self-Reported Impulsivity on the Course of Weight Is Mediated by Disinhibited Eating

This study investigates the impact of impulsivity and the mediating role of disinhibited eating behaviour (DEB) on weight and weight trajectories in a large data set including obese non-treatment seeking individuals (obese control, n = 138) and obese individuals who were either receiving a conventional treatment program (n = 227) or bariatric surgery (n = 123). Data was assessed one, 4 and 9 years after baseline including self-reports for impulsivity and DEB. Results suggest a significant association between impulsivity and body mass index, which is partially mediated by DEB. Longitudinally, the influence of impulsivity on the course of weight after 9 years was fully mediated by DEB in obese control but not in the treatment groups. The results indicate an interplay between impulsivity and DEB with respect to obesity. Further research is needed to clarify how the mediation works and when it exerts its effect, in order to identify those that might profit from a specific (impulsivity-reducing) training. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Relationship between Obesity and Cognitive Function in Young Women: The Food, Mood and Mind Study

Limited research addresses links between obesity and cognitive function in young adults. Objective. To investigate the relationship between obesity and cognitive function in young women. Methods. This cross-sectional study recruited healthy, young (18-35 y) women of normal (NW: BMI = 18.5-24.9 kg·m-2) or obese (OB: BMI ≥ 30.0 kg·m-2) weight. Participants completed a validated, computer-based cognitive testing battery evaluating impulsivity, attention, information processing, memory, and executive function. Questionnaires on depression and physical activity and a fasting blood sample for C-reactive protein and the Omega-3 Index were also collected. Cognition data are presented as z-scores (mean ± SD), and group comparisons were assessed via ANOVA. Potential confounding from questionnaire and blood variables were evaluated using ANCOVA. Results. 299 women (NW: n = 157; OB: n = 142) aged 25.8 ± 5.1 y were enrolled. Cognition scores were within normal range (±1 z-score), but OB had lower attention (NW: 0.31 ± 1.38; OB: -0.25 ± 1.39; ES: 0.41, CI: 0.17-0.64; p < 0.001) and higher impulsivity (NW: 0.36 ± 1.14; OB: -0.07 ± 1.07; ES: 0.39, CI: 0.15-0.62; p=0.033). Confounder adjustment had minimal impact on results. Conclusion. The OB group had normal but significantly lower performance on attention and were more impulsive compared to NW participants. This may indicate early cognitive decline, but longitudinal research confirming these findings is warranted.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Looked-After Children: a Systematic Review of the Literature

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To systematically review the literature on the prevalence and pharmacological treatment of ADHD in looked-after children (LAC).

RECENT FINDINGS

LAC are a very challenging population from a clinical and psychosocial standpoint, with higher mental health needs compared to non LAC. To date, no systematic review on the prevalence of ADHD, and its treatment, in LAC is available.

SUMMARY

We searched Pubmed, PsycInfo EMBASE + EMBASE CLASSIC, OVID Medline and Web of Science up to November 9 th, 2016. We found 24 papers meeting our criteria. The vast majority of the retained studies are from the USA and show rates of ADHD and of its pharmacological treatment substantially higher in LAC than those reported in national estimates. Future studies from countries other than the USA, aiming to understand the most cost-effective strategies, in the short as well as long term, to manage symptoms of ADHD in LAC are needed.

Overlapping Neural Endophenotypes in Addiction and Obesity

Impulsivity refers to a tendency to act rapidly without full consideration of consequences. The trait is thought to result from the interaction between high arousal responses to potential rewards and poor self-control. Studies have suggested that impulsivity confers vulnerability to both addiction and obesity. However, results in this area are unclear, perhaps due to the high phenotypic complexity of addictions and obesity. Focusing on impulsivity, the aim of this review is to tackle the putative overlaps between addiction and obesity in four domains: (1) personality research, (2) neurocognitive tasks, (3) brain imaging, and (4) clinical evidence. We suggest that three impulsivity-related domains are particularly relevant for our understanding of similarities between addiction and obesity: lower self-control (high Disinhibition/low Conscientiousness), reward sensitivity (high Extraversion/Positive Emotionality), and negative affect (high Neuroticism/Negative Emotionality). Neurocognitive studies have shown that obesity and addiction are both associated with increased impulsive decision-making and attention bias in response to drug or food cues, respectively. Mirroring this, obesity and different forms of addiction seem to exhibit similar alterations in functional MRI brain activity in response to reward processing and during self-control tasks. Overall, our review provides an integrative approach to understand those facets of obesity that present similarities to addictive behaviors. In addition, we suggest that therapeutic interventions targeting inhibitory control may represent a promising approach for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity.

Shared familial risk factors between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and overweight/obesity - a population-based familial coaggregation study in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Despite meta-analytic evidence for the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and overweight/obesity, the mechanisms underlying the association are yet to be fully understood.

METHODS

By linking multiple Swedish national and regional registers, we identified 472,735 index males born during 1973-1992, with information on body weight and height directly measured before they were conscripted for military service. We further identified 523,237 full siblings born during 1973-2002 for the index males. All individuals were followed up from their third birthday to December 31, 2009 for ADHD diagnosis. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between overweight/obesity in index males and ADHD in their full siblings.

RESULTS

Siblings of index males with overweight/obesity had increased risk for ADHD (overweight: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.05-1.24; obesity: OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.24-1.63), compared with siblings of index males with normal weight. The results were adjusted for birth year of the index male and sex of the sibling. After further adjustment for ADHD status of the index male, the familial coaggregation remained significant (overweight: OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.04-1.22; obesity: OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.21-1.57). The results were similar across sex of the siblings.

CONCLUSIONS

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and overweight/obesity share familial risk factors, which are not limited to those causing overweight/obesity through the mediation of ADHD. Future research aiming at identifying family-wide environmental risk factors as well as common pleiotropic genetic variants contributing to both traits is warranted.

ADHD symptoms in non-treatment seeking young adults: relationship with other forms of impulsivity

OBJECTIVE

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with various manifestations of impulsivity in adults, including elevated rates of other impulsive disorders, substance use, questionnaire-based impulsivity scores, and inhibitory dysregulation on neurocognitive tests. The relationship between ADHD and all these other forms of impulsivity has yet to be explored within the context of a single comprehensive study.

METHODS

A total of 423 young adults, who gambled ≥5 times in the preceding year, were recruited using media advertisements and undertook detailed assessment including structured psychiatric interview, questionnaires, and neurocognitive tests. Participants with ADHD symptoms were identified using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Screener (ASRS-V1.1) and were compared to controls using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).

RESULTS

ADHD symptoms were found in 20.3% of the sample, but only 7.3% of these subjects had ever received a formal diagnosis. ADHD symptoms were associated with significantly lower quality of life, lower self-esteem, higher emotional dysregulation, higher impulsivity questionnaire scores, more problematic Internet use, greater occurrence of psychiatric disorders, and impaired stop-signal reaction times. Of these variables, stop-signal reaction times and Barratt attentional impulsiveness were the strongest predictors of group classification.

CONCLUSIONS

ADHD symptoms are common and under-diagnosed in young adults who gamble, and are most strongly linked with certain other types of impulsivity (questionnaire- and cognitive-based measures) and with emotional dysregulation, suggesting that these are each important considerations in understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder, but also potential treatment targets. It is necessary to question whether treatment for adult ADHD could be enhanced by considering self-esteem, emotional reactivity, and impaired inhibitory control as specific treatment targets, in addition to the core diagnostic symptoms of the disorder.

Psychosocial risk factors underlie the link between attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and overweight at school entry

The link between symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and increased body weight is well established, while the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. Since increased body weight and ADHD symptoms have been found to be associated with psychosocial risk factors in childhood, we analyzed whether the psychosocial risks explain the association between the two conditions. The sample consisted of 360 children (age range 6-7 years, 173 boys) attending the obligatory medical health exam before school entry. The childrens' height and weight were measured during the examination. ADHD symptoms were ascertained by parent-report questionnaires. Psychosocial risks were ascertained by a structured interview. The link between ADHD symptoms and body weight could be completely explained by cumulative psychosocial risks while controlling for gender, symptoms of depression/anxiety and oppositional defiant disorder of the child, maternal smoking during pregnancy, parental body mass index, and potential diagnosis of ADHD in the parents. In current models pertaining to the etiology of overweight/obesity and ADHD, chronic stress caused by psychosocial adversity is assumed to act as a trigger for these conditions. Psychosocial risks experienced during childhood may activate processes that specifically lead to the combined ADHD-overweight phenotype.

Attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predict 'food addiction' in obese individuals

BACKGROUND

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and constitutes a common risk factor for a range of behaviors associated with poor self-control (e.g., substance use or binge eating). The short form of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-15) measures impulsive behaviors related to attentional (inability to focus attention or concentrate), motor (acting without thinking), and non-planning (lack of future orientation or forethought) impulsivity. Eating-related measures appear to be particularly related to attentional and motor impulsivity and recent findings suggest that interactive effects between these two facets may play a role in eating- and weight-regulation.

METHODS

One-hundred thirty-three obese individuals presenting for bariatric surgery (77.4% female) completed the BIS-15 and the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) 2.0, which measures addiction-like eating based on the eleven symptoms of substance use disorder outlined in the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

RESULTS

Sixty-three participants (47.4%) were classified as being 'food addicted'. Scores on attentional and motor impulsivity interactively predicted 'food addiction' status: higher attentional impulsivity was associated with a higher likelihood of receiving a YFAS 2.0 diagnosis only at high (+1 SD), but not at low (-1 SD) levels of motor impulsivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support previous findings showing that non-planning impulsivity does not appear to play a role in eating-related self-regulation. Furthermore, this is the first study that shows interactive effects between different impulsivity facets when predicting 'food addiction' in obese individuals. Self-regulatory failure in eating-regulation (e.g., addiction-like overeating) may particularly emerge when both attentional and motor impulsivity levels are elevated.

Impulsivity is associated with blood pressure and waist circumference among adolescents with bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and impulsivity are common in bipolar disorder (BD), and CVRFs are also linked with impulsivity through a number of mechanisms, both behavioral and biological. This study examines the association between CVRFs and impulsivity in adolescents with BD.

METHODS

Subjects were 34 adolescents with BD and 35 healthy control (HC) adolescents. CVRFs were based on International Diabetes Federation metabolic syndrome criteria (triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, waist circumference, blood pressure (BP) and glucose). Impulsivity was measured using the computerized Cambridge Gambling Task (CGT). Analyses controlled for age, IQ, lifetime attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and current antipsychotic use.

RESULTS

Adolescents with BD had higher diastolic BP (73.36 ± 9.57 mmHg vs. 67.91 ± 8.74 mmHg, U = 401.0, p = 0.03), higher triglycerides (1.13 ± 0.60 mmol/L vs. 0.78 ± 0.38 mmol/L, U = 373.5, p = 0.008), and were more likely to meet high-risk criteria for waist circumference (17.6% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.04) vs. HC. Within the BD group, CGT sub-scores were correlated with CVRFs. For example, overall proportion bet was positively correlated with systolic (r = 0.387, p = 0.026) and diastolic (ρ = 0.404, p = 0.020) BP. Quality of decision-making was negatively correlated with systolic BP (ρ = -0.401, p = 0.021) and waist circumference (ρ = -0.534, p = 0.003). Significant interactions were observed, such that BD diagnosis moderates the relationship between both waist circumference and BP with CGT sub-scores.

CONCLUSION

BP and waist circumference are associated with impulsivity in BD adolescents, but not in HC adolescents. Future studies are warranted to determine temporality and to evaluate whether optimizing CVRFs improves impulsivity among BD adolescents.

Health-related impairments in young children with ADHD: a community-based study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to examine health-related impairments in young children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and non-ADHD controls and explore differences in children with ADHD by gender, ADHD subtype and mental health co-morbidity status.

METHODS

Children with ADHD (n = 177) and controls (n = 212) aged 6-8 years were recruited across 43 schools in Melbourne, Australia following a screening (Conners 3 ADHD Index) and case confirmation procedure (Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV). Direct and blinded assessments of height and weight were used to calculate body mass index z-score and to identify overweight/obesity. Parents reported on child global health, sleep problems and physical injuries. Unadjusted and adjusted (socio-demographic factors and co-morbidities) logistic and linear regression were conducted to compare health-related impairments between (1) children with and without ADHD; (2) boys and girls with ADHD; (3) children with ADHD-inattentive and ADHD-combined types; and (4) children with ADHD by internalizing and externalizing disorder status.

RESULTS

Children with ADHD had poorer global health than controls when adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics (OR: 2.0; 95% CI 1.1, 3.9); however, this attenuated after adjusting for co-morbidities. In adjusted analyses, children with ADHD had increased odds of moderate/large sleep problems (OR: 3.1; 95% CI 1.4, 6.8), compared with controls. There were no differences between children with and without ADHD in terms of physical injuries or overweight/obesity. Findings were similar when excluding children taking ADHD medication, and health-related impairments did not differ between boys and girls with ADHD. Children with ADHD-combined type had higher BMI z-scores than controls in adjusted analyses (P = 0.04). Children with ADHD and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing co-morbidities were particularly vulnerable to health-related impairments.

CONCLUSION

Young children with ADHD experience a number of health-related impairments, which are exacerbated by the presence of internalizing and externalizing co-morbidities. Clinicians should consider the broader health of children with ADHD in clinical consultations.