Girls with childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were almost twice as likely to develop obesity as an adult, according to a study from the Mayo Clinic in the United States.  And the first study of its kind that probes comorbidities ADHD and obesity doesn't put the blame where some might presuppose.

Mayo Clinic pediatrician Dr. Seema Kumar says, "Females with ADHD are at risk of developing obesity during adulthood, and stimulant medications used to treat ADHD do not appear to alter that risk." 

Dr. Kumar's team analyzed the medical records of 336 individuals with childhood ADHD who were born from 1976 to 1982, and they were matched with a control group of 665 non-ADHD subjects of the same age and gender, tracking them all the way up to 31 August 2010.  They discovered that females with childhood ADHD were at a two-fold greater risk of developing obesity during childhood and adulthood compared to females without ADHD.  And stimulants did not appear to be a factor.

What this points to is the need for patients and health care providers to increase their awareness about the association between ADHD and obesity.  The study encourages all patients with ADHD to engage in preventive measures - that means a lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise and physical activity as part of routine care to prevent obesity.