Objective: To assess differences in child physical health outcomes and metrices associated with obesity in a sample of predominantly Hispanic/Latinx young children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Methods: Participants included 127 children diagnosed with ADHD and 96 typically developing (TD) children between 4 and 7 years of age. Objective measures of children's body composition, fitness, and physical activity were conducted. Parents of children completed food recalls to assess their child's dietary intake, diet quality was calculated based on the Healthy Eating Index-2015, and parents completed a survey about their family's health habits.
Results: Logistic regression revealed that those with ADHD were more likely to be classified as having an overweight or obese (Ov/O) body mass index (BMI). Linear regression analyses indicated that children with ADHD performed worse on a fitness test and consumed more calories relative to TD children. Moderation analyses indicated that sex differences in steps were prominent in our TD sample, but not among those with ADHD.
Conclusions: Young children with ADHD are at greater risk for having an Ov/O BMI, being less fit, and eating a greater intake of calories compared to TD children.
Keywords: and ADHD; attention; health behavior; hyperactivity; nutrition; obesity and weight management; preschool children; school-age children.
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