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A new study from Maastricht University suggests food choices may signal ADHD. People with ADHD often snack more and tend to consume energy drinks, chips, and fried foods.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) typically begins in childhood and can continue into adulthood. The condition is characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. People with ADHD often struggle with concentration, memory, sitting still, and listening to others. About 5 percent of children receive an ADHD diagnosis, and boys are diagnosed more often than girls. Management typically involves psychologists and educators to help children develop balance and coping skills.
How Was the Study Conducted?
The team, led by Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Laura Dalnoki, initially hypothesized that specific eating behaviors are linked to certain ADHD symptoms, particularly impulsivity and the need for mental stimulation.
Previous research suggested that an unhealthy diet — processed and refined foods, added sugars, unhealthy fats, and red meat — could increase the risk of developing ADHD.
The researchers behind the new study took a closer look at the relationship between ADHD and diet and found that diet can influence the disorder, and the disorder can also affect dietary choices.
Professor Dalnoki and her colleagues analyzed data from the long-term KOALA cohort study, which tracked the health of 2,500 children born in the Netherlands between 2001 and 2003. The team focused on data from 810 participants when they were aged 16 to 20, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The scientists assessed the eating behaviors of these young people through a survey. Participants reviewed a list of 28 foods and beverages and indicated how often they consumed them. They also reported whether they had been diagnosed with ADHD, while their parents provided information about their children’s behavioral issues and impulsivity.
The researchers categorized the adolescents’ diets into five groups: snacks, healthy foods, animal products, sweets, and beverages.
Snack lovers had particularly high consumption of non-diet soft drinks, energy drinks, packaged juices, fried foods, and chips.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
Eighty participants had an ADHD diagnosis; they reported consuming snack foods and beverages more frequently than peers without ADHD.
Participants with ADHD who had more severe symptoms, like impulsivity, reported snacking more often. Individuals with high impulsivity also tended to consume more sweets and unhealthy drinks.
Dalnoki’s team found a link between certain ADHD symptoms, especially impulsivity, and the consumption of unhealthy foods, but more research is needed to understand the relationship fully.
The findings of this study were published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.
This research complements previous studies that showed people with ADHD often eat to achieve mental and sensory stimulation.
A 2015 study found that brain regions tied to pleasure, reward, and motivation often do not function properly in people with ADHD. As a result, they may not feel internal satisfaction and may seek external sources of stimulation, such as food.
Food stimulates the brain through taste, smell, and sight. Healthline notes this is true for people without ADHD as well, but people with the disorder may be more sensitive to that stimulation because of their brain chemistry.
Experts believe people with ADHD may overeat regularly in an attempt to satisfy their brain’s needs.
