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Associations between childhood ADHD and lifestyle risk factors for chronic diseases from adolescence to early adulthood
Li et al. (2025) investigated whether childhood ADHD is linked to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors—specifically, physical inactivity and frequent fast-food consumption—from adolescence through early adulthood. Using national data from the Add Health study (Waves I–III), researchers analyzed a cohort of 6,814 adolescents with statistical models that accounted for potential confounding variables. Results showed that individuals with childhood ADHD were significantly more likely to consume fast food frequently in early adulthood, though this trend was not evident during adolescence. No meaningful connection was found between ADHD and physical inactivity at either stage. These findings suggest that childhood ADHD may contribute to poorer dietary habits later in life, emphasizing the need for targeted dietary interventions in this population. [NPID: Childhood ADHD, fast-food consumption, physical inactivity, adolescence, early adulthood, lifestyle risk factors, diet intervention, public health]
Year: 2025
