Childhood ADHD puts females at increased obesity risk

Washington D.C.: Girls, who are inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive as a child, are twice as likely to be obese as a teenager or adult, according to a new study.

Mayo Clinic researchers led the multi-site study that showed that there is an association between obesity development during adulthood and childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

This is the first population-based longitudinal study to examine the association between ADHD and development of obesity using ADHD cases and controls of both sexes derived from the same birth cohort, lead author Seema Kumar.

Females with ADHD are at risk of developing obesity during adulthood, and stimulant medications used to treat ADHD do not appear to alter that risk, Kumar added.

There is a need for greater awareness regarding the association between ADHD and obesity in females among patients, caregivers and health care providers, Kumar continued.

This study encourages all patients with ADHD to engage in preventive measures, specifically healthy eating and an active lifestyle, as part of routine care to prevent obesity.

The study is published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.