ADHD ups eating disorder risk

The study included 140 girls with ADHD and 88 girls without the disorder.

The researchers found that some of the girls with ADHD were 5 percent to 10 percent more likely to show signs of an eating disorder than girls without ADHD.

girls with ADHD at risk
"Girls with ADHD may be more at risk of developing eating disorders as adolescents because they already have impulsive behaviours that can set them apart from their peers," study lead author Amori Yee Mikami said.

"As they get older, their impulsivity may make it difficult for them to maintain healthy eating and a healthy weight, resulting in self-consciousness about their body image and the binging and purging symptoms."

The study, published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, also found that girls with ADHD were more likely to have received critical parenting when they were younger, had more difficulty relating to peers, and were more likely to be overweight.

ADHD affects about five percent of school-age children, the researchers said. – (HealthDay News)

March 2008

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