Common eating habit in teenagers could be a red flag of ADHD – and 6 other symptoms to look out for

MOST parents will say their teenager snacks constantly.

And according to a new study, it could be a warning sign of ADHD.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a condition that cases hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity which makes life difficult.

ADHD typically begins in childhood but many people don’t get a diagnosis until their teen years or as an adult.

The study, by Maastricht University, focused on 16 to 20-year-olds in the Netherlands.

Data was taken from 810 teen-parent pairs, in which the teenagers completed an assesment of diet, and the parents completed an assesment on their childs behavioural problems.

The teenagers revealed how much they consumed of a 28-item list of food and drinks.

Their parents’ assessment was based on the Conners’ Parent Rating Scale, which allowed researchers to assess ADHD symptoms.

Diet habits were split into five groups: snacks, healthy, animal-based, sweet and beverages.

In total, 80 participants had been diagnosed with ADHD. 

And the findsings reveal that they consumed snacks more often than their peers without ADHD. 

These included soft drinks, fruit juice, dried snacks, crisps, nuts or snacks, and energy drinks.

The parents were also asked about their child’s impulsivity when they were aged seven to 10 years old.

Teenagers whose parents rated them as high on imulsivity tended to have less sweet foods than their peers (pastries, chocolate bars, candy bars, cake or biscuits, and sweets).

But they had more beverages (diet soft drinks, light fruit juices/drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks).

The study authors said: “The current study found that impulsivity, rather than ADHD itself, exhibited the most robust link with dietary behaviour among adolescents, notably through its association with increased snack consumption. 

“Targeting adolescents’ impulsive behaviour could notably influence their dietary choices, potentially offering substantial health benefits.”

The researchers said that impulsivity may be behind the drive the snacking in ADHD teens.

The paper was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.

What are the six signs of ADHD – and is eating snacks one of them

There are many symptoms of ADHD but they can be lumped into six key symptoms, described by the researchers.

Symptoms of inattention in ADHD include:

• Difficulty sustaining focus
• Being easily distracted
• Forgetting tasks

Hyperactivity-impulsivity involves:

• Excessive movement
• Difficulty staying still
• Interrupting others

While these are the core symptoms, they are only simple terms – how these play out in the real world can vary widely between patients.

For example, being easily distracted may see someone fail to hold down a job, or struggle to keep on top of household chores.

Forgetting tasks might mean someone overbooks their social calendar, causing distress or overwhelm.

Eating snacks, however, is not a symptom that is recognised as ADHD. But some studies have explored the links between ADHD symptoms and diet.

Some have suggested that while an unhealthy diet, specifically a Western diet, is linked to an increased risk, the opposite is true for a healthy diet, according to the team at Maastricht University.

The Western diet is characterised by high consumption of processed and refined foods, added sugars, unhealthy fats, and red meat, combined with low intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.