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Is there an association between eating behaviour and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in preschool

Vasiliki Leventakou¹, Nadia Micali^2,3,4, Vaggelis Georgiou¹

¹Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines

|December 27, 2015

Insights

Food approach eating behaviors like food responsiveness and emotional overeating are linked to increased attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in preschoolers. This suggests a connection between eating habits and ADHD in early childhood.

Area of Science:

Child Psychology
Nutritional Psychiatry
Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

Aberrant eating behaviors and obesity are often observed alongside attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.
Previous research suggests a potential link, but this is the first population-based study in early childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the association between specific eating behaviors and ADHD symptoms in preschool children.
To explore the relationship in a population-based cohort to understand early childhood development.

Main Methods:

Utilized data from 471 preschool children in the Rhea mother-child cohort.
Employed the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and the 36-item ADHD test (ADHDT).
Applied multivariable linear regression models to analyze associations.

Main Results:

Positive associations found between food responsiveness, emotional overeating, and ADHD symptoms (total index, impulsivity, inattention, hyperactivity).
Food fussiness showed an association with the impulsivity subscale.
A dose-response relationship was observed between food approach behaviors and ADHD symptom severity.

Conclusions:

Food approach behaviors, specifically food responsiveness and emotional overeating, are associated with elevated ADHD symptoms in preschoolers.
Findings highlight the importance of understanding the overlap between eating behaviors and ADHD for potential interventions.
Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this association.

Read full analysis

Abstract

Background:

There is some evidence that aberrant eating behaviours and obesity co-occur with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. The present study is the first that aims to investigate the association between eating behaviours and ADHD symptoms in early childhood in a population-based cohort.

Methods:

We included 471 preschool children from the Rhea mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece. Parents completed the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire to assess children's eating behaviour and the 36-item ADHD test (ADHDT) to evaluate ADHD symptoms at 4 years of age. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the association of eating behaviours with ADHD symptoms.

Results:

Regarding children's food approach eating behaviours, we observed a positive association between food responsiveness and total ADHD index, as well as impulsivity, inattention and hyperactivity subscale, separately. Similarly, there was a significant positive association between emotional overeating and ADHD symptoms. With regard to children's food avoidant behaviours, food fussiness was found to be significantly associated with the impulsivity subscale. A dose-response association between the food approach behaviours and ADHD symptoms was also observed. Children on the medium and highest tertile of the food responsiveness subscale had increased scores on the ADHD total scale, as compared to those on the lowest tertile. As regards emotional overeating, children in the highest tertile of the scale had higher scores on ADHD total and hyperactivity.

Conclusions:

Our findings provide evidence that food approach eating behaviours such as food responsiveness and emotional overeating are associated with the increased ADHD symptoms in preschool children. Future studies to better understand this overlap will enhance potential interventions.

Keywords:

Eating behaviour attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder child development

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