Could ADHD make your teen fat? In new research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 7,000 children in Finland were studied to determine whether ADHD symptoms at age eight were linked to greater chances of being obese by age 16. The results showed that children who had ADHD symptoms at a young age were nearly twice as likely to be obese as teens. This was true even after taking into account childhood weight. In general, people think of children with hyperactivity as moving around a lot and therefore should be slim, senior author Alina Rodriguez said. However, Children with ADHD are not more likely to participate in physical activity, as we show in our report. Previous studies have demonstrated a link between obesity and ADHD, yet the exact cause remains undetermined. Children today often spend a lot of time indoors and in front of a screen whether its TV phone, or computer. Research has shown that the greater the time spent in front a screen, the greater likelihood the child will be obese and have decreased academic performance. Secondly, ADHD children often lack social skills and by middle school, this becomes readily apparent. They tend to isolate themselves from other children who may ridicule them. Impulse control and lack of social skills may keep them away from team sports. So its important to help them select an activity that they can excel in. Individual sports like martial arts, swimming, or tennis can be great avenues to physical fitness and better self-esteem.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 13:27:09 +0000
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