Your food choice could be a sign of diabetes Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study has revealed.
Scientists found that ‘snacking’ was more common in people with the disorder than in those without.
Researchers analyzed the dietary behaviors of young adults ages 16 to 20 and found that those who reported having ADHD consumed more foods such as energy drinks, chips and fried foods than participants who were not diagnosed.
ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that typically begins in childhood and persists into adulthood, is characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with daily functioning or development.
People with ADHD often have difficulty staying focused, remembering tasks, sitting still, and listening without interrupting others. This can disrupt daily functioning or development.
The team suggested that the specific eating behavior was due to certain ADHD symptoms, particularly impulsivity and desire for mental stimulation.
Previous studies have examined links between ADHD and diet, suggesting that an unhealthy diet consisting mainly of processed and refined foods, added sugars, unhealthy fats and red meat increases the risk of developing the disorder.
The new study further examined the relationship between ADHD and diet, finding that it’s not just diet that influences the disorder, but that the disorder also influences diet.
A new study has found that 16- to 20-year-olds with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to snack more than people without the disorder.
“The current study found that impulsivity, and not ADHD itself, showed the most robust association with dietary behavior among adolescents, particularly through its association with increased snack consumption,” the authors wrote.
“Targeting adolescents’ impulsive behavior could particularly influence their dietary choices, potentially yielding significant health benefits,” she added.
The research was led by Laura Dalnoki, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
Dalnoki and her colleagues analyzed data from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study in the Netherlands, a long-term study that tracks the health, growth and development of more than 2,500 children born between 2001 and 2003.
For Dalnoki’s study, the research team used data collected from 810 members of this cohort in 2021, when participants were 16 to 20 years old.
The adolescents had completed an assessment of their own dietary behavior, during which they were asked to review a list of 28 food and beverage items and indicate how often they consumed each.
They also reported whether they had been diagnosed with ADHD.
Their parents also completed assessments of their children’s behavior problems and impulsivity levels.
This study adds to previous research showing that people with ADHD often eat to achieve mental and sensory stimulation
The researchers categorized the adolescents’ dietary patterns into five groups: snacks, healthy, animal, sweet and drinks.
The ‘snacking’ pattern was characterized by a high intake of regular (non-diet) soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit juices, fried snacks, chips, nuts and other snacks.
A total of 80 of the participants were diagnosed with ADHD. These adolescents reported consuming food and drinks from the snack category more often than their peers without the disorder.
Furthermore, participants with ADHD who had more severe behavioral symptoms, such as impulsivity, reported more snack consumption.
Interestingly, those with high impulsivity scores tended to consume items from the sweet group more often and items from the beverage group more often.
The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Attention Disorders.
Dalnoki and her colleagues believe the research points to a clear link between certain ADHD symptoms, particularly impulsivity, and snack consumption among adolescents.
But they note that further research is needed to fully understand this relationship.
This study adds to previous research showing that people with ADHD often eat to achieve mental and sensory stimulation.
According to the 2015 studyIn people with ADHD, the part of the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure, reward and motivation often does not function properly.
As a result, people with the disorder may not feel the same level of satisfaction internally, prompting them to seek external sources of stimulation, such as food.
Food stimulates the brain by stimulating the senses, especially taste, smell, sight and touch.
This is true even for people without ADHD, but they say people with the disorder may be more sensitive to that stimulation because of their brain chemistry. Healthline.
Experts therefore believe that people with ADHD may have a tendency to overeat in an attempt to satisfy their brain’s increased need for stimulation.
This, perhaps combined with the lack of impulse control examined in Dalnoki’s study, can lead to frequent snacking or, in extreme cases, binge eating.
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is an eating disorder characterized by consuming a large amount of food within a short period of time while feeling like you have no control over what and how much you eat.
A 2017 review found a significant link between ADHD and eating disorders in eight of 11 studies, and a strong link between ADHD and BED in 20 of 27 studies.
Additionally, a 2015 study found that impulsivity is the strongest predictor of disordered eating in people with ADHD, underscoring the results of Dalnoki’s new research.
Research into the link between diet and ADHD has revealed important signs that can help parents identify symptoms of the disorder in their children.
Additionally, these studies help experts understand the cause of the unique eating behaviors associated with ADHD.