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Examining ultra-processed food consumption and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children living
Saleh Alali1, Wed Al-Otaibi1, Sara Alotaibi1
1Nutrition and Food Science Department, Kuwait University, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
Introduction:
The meteoric rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in our diets has become a global public health concern. In Kuwait, globalization has led to a shift in dietary patterns increasing reliance on UPFs, particularly among children. UPFs have been shown to stimulate the brain's reward-system making them especially relevant to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) related behaviors such as impulsivity and reward-seeking. Although determining the direction of the relationship between ADHD and UPF consumption is difficult, limited evidence, particularly in Kuwait, has examined this association during childhood.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study using the SNAP-IV and NOVA based ultra-processed food frequency questionnaire were used to examine the relationship between ultra-processed food intake and ADHD behavioral outcomes in Kuwaiti children between the ages 6 and 12.
Results:
A total of N = 159 were included (mean age 8.58 years and 59.1% male) in the final sample. After adjusting for age, a significant positive association was found (ρ = 0.576, p < 0.001) between total ADHD symptom severity and UPF consumption, hyperactivity showed the strongest association in the total sample followed by inattention. Boys (n = 94, ρ = 0.665, p < 0.001) had stronger associations compared to girls (n = 65, ρ = 0.439, p < 0.001) with hyperactivity having the strongest link among boys and inattention having the strongest correlation among girls.
Discussion:
These findings highlight the harmful behavioral association between ultra-processed food consumption and child development. Higher intake of synthetic ingredients is associated with increased ADHD symptom severity in this general population of Kuwaiti children. These results along with growing evidence highlight the need for urgent interventions. Public policy action is needed to restrict and regulate ultra-processed foods and artificial ingredients in Kuwait.
