Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. A current area of interest is the association between ADHD and food consumption. The aim of this study was to determine the food consumption and dietary patterns of children with and without ADHD in relation to their age and ADHD presentation. The study involved 259 preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years old (57 with ADHD and 202 controls) and 475 elementary-school-age children, aged 10 to 12 years old (213 with ADHD and 262 controls) from Spain. ADHD was diagnosed in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) from Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children interviews. Eating data were collected using a food consumption frequency questionnaire, and principal component analysis was carried out to analyze dietary patterns. Western-like, sweet, and healthy patterns were identified. The ADHD group was negatively associated with the healthy pattern (p < 0.001) and positively associated with the Western-like diet (p = 0.004). Children with inattentive presentation showed lower adherence (12.2%) to a healthy pattern than that of the control group (39.9%) (p < 0.001). There is an association between ADHD and dietary habits; children with inattentive presentation may particularly be at risk of unhealthy eating habits.
Highlights
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents
We study differences according to age and the presentation of ADHD in relation to variables that may affect their eating habits, such as sex, parents’ educational level and profession (PELP), pharmacological treatment, intellectual quotient (IQ), internalizing problems, and the presence of any autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comorbidity
The score was within the mean range, we found significantly lower IQ in the preschoolers and elementary group with ADHD in relation to the control group
Summary
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. A recent systematic review established the global prevalence of ADHD to be between 2% and 7% [1]. The prevalence of ADHD is higher in boys than that in girls, with a sex ratio of 2:1 in most studies [1–3]. While genetic factors [5] play an important role, several environmental factors in the early stages of life can alter neurodevelopment and increase the risk of ADHD [6,7]. Nutrition is an important environmental risk factor for ADHD. Association was found between ADHD, and the mother’s altered nutritional and metabolic status [8]. A healthy diet without ultraprocessed products [9] and a diet with a low inflammatory index (DII) during pregnancy [10] are associated with a lower incidence of ADHD in offspring
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