Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament
Multiple studies support the relationship between ADHD and overweight/obesity in youth. Different mechanisms may be involved, such as temperamental and psychopathological factors. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that specific temperamental and psychopathological dimensions could med...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/12/1631 |
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| author | Maria Cristina Porfirio Roberta Campanile Gabriele Masi Diane Purper-Ouakil Silvia Giovinazzo Alessandra Ascenzi Alfonso Troisi Luigi Mazzone |
| author_facet | Maria Cristina Porfirio Roberta Campanile Gabriele Masi Diane Purper-Ouakil Silvia Giovinazzo Alessandra Ascenzi Alfonso Troisi Luigi Mazzone |
| author_sort | Maria Cristina Porfirio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multiple studies support the relationship between ADHD and overweight/obesity in youth. Different mechanisms may be involved, such as temperamental and psychopathological factors. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that specific temperamental and psychopathological dimensions could mediate the relationship between ADHD and obesity. The sample included 100 children and adolescents (78 males and 22 females; age range 6 to 18 years; mean age 9.90 ± 2.5 years). The assessment procedure included Conners’ Parent Rating Scale—Long (CPRS-R:L) as the inclusion criterion for ADHD diagnosis, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a dimensional measure for psychopathology, and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory, which describes four temperamental dimensions: novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P). While in the whole ADHD sample, the highest scores were found in NS and the lowest in P, ADHD with overweight/obesity, compared to ADHD with normal weight, showed higher HA and RD, lower NS, and higher CBCL Internalizing scores. These findings suggest that ADHD youth with overweight/obesity present specific temperamental and psychopathological features compared to those without overweight/obesity. If confirmed in larger samples, using a control group without ADHD, these temperamental and psychological features may be helpful for an earlier recognition of ADHD patients at higher risk for obesity, and may represent possible targets for temperament-based preventive interventions and tailored treatment programs. These features should be included in the routine assessment of children and adolescents with ADHD and/or are overweight/obese. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:16:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d445257634ed488bb1ba8850dd64bd98 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:16:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-d445257634ed488bb1ba8850dd64bd982023-11-24T13:39:02ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-11-011212163110.3390/brainsci12121631Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on TemperamentMaria Cristina Porfirio0Roberta Campanile1Gabriele Masi2Diane Purper-Ouakil3Silvia Giovinazzo4Alessandra Ascenzi5Alfonso Troisi6Luigi Mazzone7Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyIRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, 56128 Pisa, ItalyUnit of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (MPEA1), CHU Montpellier-Saint Eloi Hospital, School of Medicine, 34090 Montpellier, FranceChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyInternational Medical School, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, ItalyChild Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata Hospital, Fondazione PTV, Oxford Street 81, 00133 Rome, ItalyMultiple studies support the relationship between ADHD and overweight/obesity in youth. Different mechanisms may be involved, such as temperamental and psychopathological factors. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that specific temperamental and psychopathological dimensions could mediate the relationship between ADHD and obesity. The sample included 100 children and adolescents (78 males and 22 females; age range 6 to 18 years; mean age 9.90 ± 2.5 years). The assessment procedure included Conners’ Parent Rating Scale—Long (CPRS-R:L) as the inclusion criterion for ADHD diagnosis, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a dimensional measure for psychopathology, and the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory, which describes four temperamental dimensions: novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P). While in the whole ADHD sample, the highest scores were found in NS and the lowest in P, ADHD with overweight/obesity, compared to ADHD with normal weight, showed higher HA and RD, lower NS, and higher CBCL Internalizing scores. These findings suggest that ADHD youth with overweight/obesity present specific temperamental and psychopathological features compared to those without overweight/obesity. If confirmed in larger samples, using a control group without ADHD, these temperamental and psychological features may be helpful for an earlier recognition of ADHD patients at higher risk for obesity, and may represent possible targets for temperament-based preventive interventions and tailored treatment programs. These features should be included in the routine assessment of children and adolescents with ADHD and/or are overweight/obese.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/12/1631attention deficit hyperactivity disorderobesitytemperamentdimensional assessmentharm avoidanceinternalizing symptoms |
| spellingShingle | Maria Cristina Porfirio Roberta Campanile Gabriele Masi Diane Purper-Ouakil Silvia Giovinazzo Alessandra Ascenzi Alfonso Troisi Luigi Mazzone Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament Brain Sciences attention deficit hyperactivity disorder obesity temperament dimensional assessment harm avoidance internalizing symptoms |
| title | Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament |
| title_full | Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament |
| title_short | Exploring the Link between ADHD and Obesity: A Focus on Temperament |
| title_sort | exploring the link between adhd and obesity a focus on temperament |
| topic | attention deficit hyperactivity disorder obesity temperament dimensional assessment harm avoidance internalizing symptoms |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/12/1631 |
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