DURHAM, N.C., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have linked childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms to adult obesity
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center report the greater the number of ADHD symptoms, the greater the obesity risk.
The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, suggests ADHD symptoms was the most significant risk factor studied.
"This is the first study to take this concept out of the clinic and into the population and show that it's not just the diagnosis of ADHD that matters; it's the symptoms," study co-author Scott Kollins says in a statement.
"The most exciting thing about this research is it gives us a thread to follow in determining why kids with ADHD symptoms might be at risk for developing obesity. It establishes the path for identifying these kids earlier and focusing on intervention methods."
Kollins and colleagues looked at symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity along with body mass index, waist circumference and blood pressure for 15,197 adolescents tracked from 1995 through 2009 as part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
