Published online July 1, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 1 July 2008, pp. e1-e6 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-1955)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Waring, M. E.
Right arrow Articles by Lapane, K. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Waring, M. E.
Right arrow Articles by Lapane, K. L.
Related Collections
Right arrow Nutrition & Metabolism
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

ARTICLE

Overweight in Children and Adolescents in Relation to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Results From a National Sample

Molly E. Waring, MA and Kate L. Lapane, PhD

Department of Community Health, Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island

OBJECTIVE. As the prevalence of childhood obesity increases, identifying groups of children who are at increased risk of overweight is important. The current study estimated the prevalence of overweight in children and adolescents in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and medication use.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 62 887 children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years from the 2003–2004 National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally representative sample of children and adolescents in the United States. Attention-deficit disorder/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder was determined by response to the question "Has a doctor or health professional ever told you that your child has attention-deficit disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, that is, ADD or ADHD?" Children and adolescents were classified as underweight, normal weight, at risk of overweight, or overweight according to BMI for age and gender.

RESULTS. After adjustment for age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and depression/anxiety, children and adolescents with attention-deficit disorder/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder not currently using medication had ~1.5 times the odds of being overweight, and children and adolescents currently medicated for attention-deficit disorder/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder had ~1.6 times the odds of being underweight compared with children and adolescents without either diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS. This study provides heightened awareness for pediatric providers about the relationship between attention-deficit disorder/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, medication use, and weight status. Future work is needed to better understand the longitudinal and pharmacologic factors that influence the relationship between attention-deficit disorder/attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and weight status in children and adolescents.

Key Words: attention deficit disorder • attention deficit hyperactivity disorder • obesity • child • adolescent

Abbreviations: ADHD—attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder • ADD—attention-deficit disorder • NSCH—National Survey of Children's Health • OR—odds ratio • CI—confidence interval • SES—socioeconomic status

Accepted Jan 4, 2008.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 JAMAHome page
N. D. Volkow, G.-J. Wang, S. H. Kollins, T. L. Wigal, J. H. Newcorn, F. Telang, J. S. Fowler, W. Zhu, J. Logan, Y. Ma, et al.
Evaluating Dopamine Reward Pathway in ADHD: Clinical Implications
JAMA, September 9, 2009; 302(10): 1084 - 1091.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Arch Pediatr Adolesc MedHome page
D. M. Seeyave, S. Coleman, D. Appugliese, R. F. Corwyn, R. H. Bradley, N. S. Davidson, N. Kaciroti, and J. C. Lumeng
Ability to Delay Gratification at Age 4 Years and Risk of Overweight at Age 11 Years
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, April 1, 2009; 163(4): 303 - 308.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]