Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents
Abstract Background Attention 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 wheth...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04882-x |
| _version_ | 1797811352239079424 |
|---|---|
| author | Ke Li Liangliang Chen Kai Wang Xiaodong Jiang Yiting Ji Shuanfeng Fang Haiyan Wei |
| author_facet | Ke Li Liangliang Chen Kai Wang Xiaodong Jiang Yiting Ji Shuanfeng Fang Haiyan Wei |
| author_sort | Ke Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Attention 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. Methods Data 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. Results The 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). Conclusions Our 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:22:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9408d5bd5d93466ab963304cc99d0b0c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T07:22:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-9408d5bd5d93466ab963304cc99d0b0c2023-06-04T11:35:42ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-05-0123111010.1186/s12888-023-04882-xEmotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescentsKe Li0Liangliang Chen1Kai Wang2Xiaodong Jiang3Yiting Ji4Shuanfeng Fang5Haiyan Wei6Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, (Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center), Fujian Children’s HospitalDepartment of Pediatrics, 1st Affiliated Hospital to Zhengzhou UniversityRehabilitation Medicine Department, Wuhan Children’s Hospital(Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & TechnologyDepartment of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Children’s Hospital of Soochow UniversityDepartment of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou UniversityAbstract Background Attention 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. Methods Data 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. Results The 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). Conclusions Our 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.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04882-xADHDBody mass indexAnxietyDepressionAdolescentObesity |
| spellingShingle | Ke Li Liangliang Chen Kai Wang Xiaodong Jiang Yiting Ji Shuanfeng Fang Haiyan Wei Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents BMC Psychiatry ADHD Body mass index Anxiety Depression Adolescent Obesity |
| title | Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents |
| title_full | Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents |
| title_fullStr | Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents |
| title_short | Emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents |
| title_sort | emotional problems mediate the association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity in adolescents |
| topic | ADHD Body mass index Anxiety Depression Adolescent Obesity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04882-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT keli emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents AT liangliangchen emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents AT kaiwang emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents AT xiaodongjiang emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents AT yitingji emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents AT shuanfengfang emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents AT haiyanwei emotionalproblemsmediatetheassociationbetweenattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorderandobesityinadolescents |