Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Clinical characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with sarcopenia in children: a case-control
Xiao-Lin Zhang1, Yi Zhou1, Yan Wang1
1Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Children's Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Background:
This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of body composition, core symptoms, functional impairment, and comorbidities in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sarcopenia.
Methods:
A case-control study compared children with ADHD and sarcopenia (n = 85) with matched ADHD-only controls (n = 85). Comprehensive evaluations included body composition analysis and standardized behavioral assessments (SNAP-IV, Vanderbilt, WFIRS).
Results:
Compared to the control group, the ADHD with sarcopenia group exhibited significantly lower values on total body water, protein, minerals, body fat mass, fat-free mass, bone mineral content, body mass index, fat mass index, and fat-free mass index (False Discovery Rate (FDR) corrected P < 0.05), while exhibiting higher muscle-to-fat ratio. They also demonstrated lower ADHD core symptom severity, decreased comorbidity proportion (including oppositional defiant disorder [ODD]), and impaired family function (FDR corrected P < 0.05). Regression analysis identified hyperactive-impulsive symptom severity (OR 3.97, 95% CI:2.22-7.12) and increased soft lean mass (SLM) (OR 1.13, 95% CI:1.05-1.21) as predictors of comorbid ODD risk.
Conclusion:
ADHD children with sarcopenia had lower body composition values, milder core symptoms, and fewer comorbidities (including ODD). SLM and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms exhibited positive associations with comorbid ODD risk in children with ADHD.
Impact:
Children with ADHD and sarcopenia show skeletal muscle wasting alongside declines in fat mass, protein content, and bone mineral content compared with the control group (children with ADHD without sarcopenia). The ADHD-sarcopenia group (participants with both ADHD and sarcopenia) had significantly lower ADHD core symptom scores (inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity) and a reduced comorbidity proportion. Hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms and soft lean mass increased the risk of comorbid oppositional defiant disorder in children with ADHD.
More Related Videos
05:44Author Spotlight: Collecting the Brain and Serum from the Same Mice Fetus to Study Brain Tumor Development
Published on: May 17, 2024
05:32Comparing Eye-tracking Data of Children with High-functioning ASD, Comorbid ADHD, and of a Control Watching Social Videos
Published on: December 7, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....
01:28Conduct Disorder
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.