Dietary Patterns and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Among Iranian Children: A Case-Control Study

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Psychiatry
• Pediatric Neurology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Dietary factors are increasingly recognized for their potential influence on mental health.
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children.
• Understanding the role of diet in ADHD is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between major dietary patterns and the prevalence of ADHD in Iranian children.
• To identify specific dietary patterns that may increase or decrease the risk of ADHD.
• To provide evidence for the role of nutrition in pediatric mental health.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study involving 500 children aged 4-12 years in Isfahan, Iran.
• Dietary intake assessed using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire.
• Factor analysis identified dietary patterns; multivariable logistic regression analyzed associations with ADHD, diagnosed per DSM-5 criteria.

Main Results:

• Two primary dietary patterns emerged: 'healthy' (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and 'Western' (processed meats, red meat, snacks).
• Children with higher adherence to the Western diet showed significantly increased odds of ADHD (OR=3.45).
• A healthy dietary pattern was inversely associated with ADHD, indicating lower odds (OR=0.46).

Conclusions:

• A Western dietary pattern is independently associated with higher odds of ADHD in children.
• A healthy dietary pattern demonstrates a protective association, correlating with lower ADHD odds.
• Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings and explore causal relationships.