Dietary Profiles, Nutritional Biochemistry Status, and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder: Path Analysis for a Case-control Study (P18-106-19)

Abstract

ObjectivesStudies suggested that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with multiple dietary factors. Earlier studies addressed issues related to dietary allergens and toxicants. Recent attention has turned to nutrient imbalance resulted from unhealthy dietary habit. This study aims to investigate dietary and nutritional biochemistry profiles of ADHD and to explore their potential relationship by path analysis. MethodsWe enrolled 216 children with ADHD and 216 age-, height- and gender-matched controls from 31 elementary schools in Taiwan. Dietary intake of the participants was assessed using food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Fasting blood samples were collected to determine the serum levels of multiple nutritional markers, including several potential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. Moreover, we employed a structural equation model (SEM) to link diet, nutritional markers and ADHD. ResultsCompared to healthy control, ADHD children had significantly lower serum levels of vitamin B12, folate, vitamin B6, ferritin concentration, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), but higher levels of serum saturated fatty acids (SFA), n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio, and inorganic phosphorous concentration (Table 1). Children with ADHD had more intakes of nutrient-poor foods such as high sugar and high fat foods, and had less intakes of vegetable, fruit, protein-rich foods than their counterpart (Table 2). SEM analysis showed that the poor nutritional biochemistry profiles linked the association between unhealthy dietary patterns and ADHD (Figure 1). ConclusionsWe found that lower serum levels of B-vitamins and imbalanced mineral and fatty acid distributions were risk factors of ADHD and path analysis suggests that unhealthy dietary pattern may be a predecessor of the poor nutritional biochemistry status. Managing diet and nutrition conditions should be trialed and considered among methods to improve ADHD symptoms in children. Funding SourcesNational Science Council of Taiwan R.O.C.; Academia Sinica. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪▪▪