Abstract
Attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents is a global public health burden. Identification of health-related behavioral risk factors including diet quality and physical and sedentary activities for ADHD is important for prioritizing behavioral intervention strategies to improve mental health. This study aimed to examine the association of diet quality, physical activity, and sedentary behaviours in childhood with ADHD throughout adolescence. We linked data from grade five students aged primarily 10 and 11 years old who participated in a population-based lifestyle survey in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia with their administrative health care data. We applied negative binomial regression methods to examine the associations between health behaviours and ADHD. Of the 4875 students, 9.7% had one or more diagnoses of ADHD between the ages of 10/11 and 18 years. The number of primary diagnoses with ADHD was statistically significantly lower among students with better diet quality, higher levels of physical activity, and those that spent less time playing computers and video games (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that health promotion programs aiming to improve children’s diets and active lifestyles may also reduce the public health burden of ADHD.
Highlights
Attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed mental health disorders among children and adolescents, and has been acknowledged as a global public health burden [1]
Students who reported a poorer diet quality, reported less physical activity (PA), and reported more time using a computer or playing video games in the 2003 survey, were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD in subsequent years (Table 1)
The present study revealed that children who spent excessive time (≥5 h/day) in playing computer and video games were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD later than children who used the media less than one hour a day
Summary
Attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed mental health disorders among children and adolescents, and has been acknowledged as a global public health burden [1]. 12% of school age children and adolescents experience ADHD, with a higher prevalence among boys than girls [2,3,4,5]. Children and adolescents with ADHD are more likely to experience difficulties in academic learning and school performance [8,9,10,11], and have adverse behaviours and health consequences, including bullying behaviour, suicidal ideation, poor psychosocial health, increased injuries [12,13,14], and low quality of life [15,16]. ADHD commonly co-occurs with other mental health disorders, such as conduct disorder and internalizing disorder, which may exacerbate the difficulties of affected individuals [17]
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