Food intake and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: A case_control study

Atena Jamshidnia; Mehdi Tavallaei; Mahdieh Hosseinzadeh

doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.05.020

Food intake and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: A case_control study

Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Aug:44:342-347. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.05.020. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Authors

Atena Jamshidnia¹, Mehdi Tavallaei¹, Mahdieh Hosseinzadeh²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology & Educational Sciences, Imam Javad University College, Yazd, Iran.
² Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Islamic Republic of Iran; Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Electronic address: hoseinzade.mahdie@gmail.com.

PMID: 34330488
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.05.020

Abstract

Background: The purpose of present study was to determine and compare food intake in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and healthy children.

Materials and methods: In this case-control study, 110 hyperactive children who had referred to Khatam Al-Anbia Clinic and Imam Hussein Psychological Center in Yazd were selected. In addition, for each case, two healthy controls homogenized in terms of age and sexes were enrolled from primary schools in Yazd, from the same urban region of the cases. After completing the general information questionnaires, height and weight were measured. The food intake of individuals was evaluated through a validated food frequency questionnaire comprising 186 items. As for quantitative and categorical variables, the independent t-test and chi-square test were used respectively, and the values were reported as mean and standard deviation. Independent T-test was used to compare food intake between the two groups.

Results: No significant difference was identified between body mass index and energy intake of the two groups. Hyperactive children proved to have a higher rate of physical activity than non-hyperactive children (p = 0.001). Vitamin B12 and riboflavin consumption in hyperactive children proved to be significantly lower than that of the healthy group (p = 0.02). Intake of refine grain in the case group was significantly higher compared to the control group (p = 0.02). Healthy children consumed fruits and vegetable (p = 0.02), low fat milk (p = 0.003) and egg (p = 0.01) more than children with ADHD.

Conclusion: The present study revealed that hyperactive children consume less fruit and vegetables, low-fat milk and eggs as well as food sources containing B vitamins while consuming higher levels of refined grains. Future studies such as cohort and interventional types are needed to confirm these results.

Keywords: Dietary patterns; Food groups; Hyperactive children.

MeSH terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / diagnosis
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / epidemiology
Case-Control Studies
Child
Eating
Fruit
Humans
Vegetables