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Dietary PUFA intakes in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms

Ka-Hung Ng1, Barbara J Meyer, Lauren Reece

  • 1School of Health Sciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

The British Journal of Nutrition
|July 28, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with ADHD had higher alpha-linolenic acid intakes but lower arachidonic acid intakes compared to national data. While meeting recommendations for long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA), their overall intake of other nutrients fell short.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Associations exist between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and erythrocyte long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC n-3 PUFA) levels.
  • Limited research has explored the direct relationship between dietary intake of LC n-3 PUFA and ADHD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake and food sources in children diagnosed with ADHD.
  • To compare these dietary intakes with Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS) data.
  • To investigate potential correlations between dietary PUFA intake and ADHD symptom severity.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 86 three-day weighed food records from children with ADHD.
  • Comparison of fatty acid intake data (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, DHA) with NNS data.
  • Assessment of food group consumption (fish/seafood, meat, eggs) relative to NNS benchmarks.

Main Results:

  • Children with ADHD exhibited higher intakes of alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) and lower intakes of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6) compared to NNS data (P < 0.05).
  • Consumption of fish/seafood, meat, and eggs was halved in children with ADHD versus the NNS cohort (P < 0.05).
  • No significant correlations were identified between specific fatty acid intakes and ADHD symptom severity.

Conclusions:

  • Children with ADHD met adequate intake levels for LC n-3 PUFA but did not meet other dietary recommendations.
  • Dietary patterns in children with ADHD differ from the general population, particularly in fish, meat, and egg consumption.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the role of specific dietary PUFAs in ADHD management.

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