Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents

BMC Psychiatry

Research

Shuanfeng Fang¹  Ke Li¹  Yiting Ji²  Liangliang Chen³  Haiyan Wei⁴  Kai Wang⁵  Xiaodong Jiang⁶ 

[1] Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China;Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Children’s Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China;Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, (Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center), Fujian Children’s Hospital, Fuzhou, China;Department of Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China;Department of Pediatrics, 1st Affiliated Hospital to Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China;Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Wuhan Children’s Hospital(Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China;

关键词: ADHD;    Body mass index;    Anxiety;    Depression;    Adolescent;    Obesity;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-023-04882-x

 received in 2023-03-13, accepted in 2023-05-17,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAttention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been identified as a risk factor for obesity in both children and adolescents. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between ADHD and obesity are still unclear. This study aimed to test a theoretical model of whether anxiety/depression is an intermediary factor in the ADHD-obesity relationship.MethodsData were derived from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a principal source of information on the health of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. A total of 35,108 adolescents aged 12-17 years old from 2010-2015 NHIS and 2016-2018 NHIS representing 46,550,729 individuals in the weighted population, had a parent-reported previous ADHD diagnosis, emotional problems, and height and weight data. Mediation analyses were used to explore whether anxiety/depression is an intermediary factor in the relationship between ever having ADHD and obesity. Mediation analyses were performed using multiple logistic regressions.ResultsThe findings showed that ADHD was a predictor of obesity. This relationship was partially mediated by depression(2010-2015: β=0.28, 95%CI:0.13-0.43; 2016-2018: β=0.26, 95%CI:0.03-0.49), as well as anxiety (2010-2015: β=0.28, 95%CI:0.18-0.38).ConclusionsOur study suggests the hypothetical role of depression and anxiety as underlying mechanisms in the association between ever having ADHD and obesity in adolescents. When treating children with ADHD, clinicians need to be particularly attentive to whether they show emotional problems and use interventions to eliminate anxiety/depression to protect against obesity.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 2

Fig. 1