Abstract
Dietary or nutrient patterns represent the combined effects of foods or nutrients, and elucidate efficaciously the impact of diet on diseases. Because the pharmacotherapy on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was reported be associated with certain side effects, and the etiology of ADHD is multifactorial, this study investigated the association of dietary and nutrient patterns with the risk of ADHD. We conducted a case-control study with 592 Chinese children including ADHD (n = 296) and non-ADHD (n = 296) aged 6–14 years old, matched by age and sex. Dietary and nutrient patterns were identified using factor analysis and a food frequency questionnaire. Blood essential elements levels were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry. A fish-white meat dietary pattern rich in shellfish, deep water fish, white meat, freshwater fish, organ meat and fungi and algae was inversely associated with ADHD (p = 0.006). Further analysis found that a mineral-protein nutrient pattern rich in zinc, protein, phosphorus, selenium, calcium and riboflavin was inversely associated with ADHD (p = 0.014). Additionally, the blood zinc was also negatively related to ADHD (p = 0.003). In conclusion, the fish-white meat dietary pattern and mineral-protein nutrient pattern may have beneficial effects on ADHD in Chinese children, and blood zinc may be helpful in distinguishing ADHD in Chinese children.
Highlights
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders, is a worldwide public problem that is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity [1,2]
The treatment of ADHD is mainly dependent on the pharmacotherapy that involves stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate, amphetamine, and atomoxetine, which has shown a high effectiveness in ADHD treatment [4,5,6,7], but it has been reported by several studies to be associated with certain side effects [6,7,8]
The subjects with ADHD were more likely to suffer from emotional abuse, have low maternal education and maternal abortion history along with a higher likelihood of a family history of ADHD, and were unlikely to have a household with two biological parents or full-term pregnancy
Summary
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders, is a worldwide public problem that is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity [1,2] This disorder in children can severely affect their school performance, family relationships, and social interactions [3]. Diets that reduce the symptoms associated with ADHD include restricting or eliminating the detrimental dietary factors that are associated with the risk of ADHD and supplementing the beneficial dietary factors that protect against ADHD [10,11,12,13,14,15,16]. For the detrimental dietary factors, the proposed dietary treatments include restricting sugar and ensuring additive/preservative-free foods (Feingold Diet) and an oligoantigenic diet (elimination) [11,12,13]
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