title: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is Related to Decreased Weight in the Preschool Period and to Increased Rate of Overweight in School-Age Boys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have associated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with growth deviations and obesity. However, available data regarding the growth of children with ADHD in their early childhood are insufficient. Therefore, we aimed to examine whether there are differences in body size between preschool boys with and without ADHD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used cross-sectional and retrospective longitudinal data concerning 112 boys with ADHD and a community-based sample of 308 boys without ADHD. The groups were homogeneous in terms of socioeconomic status, place of residence, term of birth, and birth weight. The average age of diagnosis was 8.3 years, and none of boys had been treated with stimulants before they were 7 years of age. Comparisons were made at the ages of 2, 4, and 6 years, for World Health Organization (WHO)-norm-standardized height, weight, body mass index (BMI), prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity. Separate analysis were made for the cross-sectional measurements of current body size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Boys with ADHD at the age of 2 had significantly lower z scores for weight (t=-1.98, p=0.04) and BMI (t=-2.09, p=0.04), and at the age of 4 for weight (t=-2.05, p=0.04) than the boys from the control group. A significantly lower percentage of overweight/obesity was observed in boys with ADHD at the age of 2 in comparison with the control group. At the age of 6, boys with ADHD were underweight more often. Cross-sectional analysis of current body size showed that boys with ADHD had lower z scores for height (t=-3.08, p=0.002) and higher z scores (t=3.13, p=0.002) for BMI. Overweight was more frequent in this group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preschool boys with ADHD (age of 2-6 years) have a tendency toward lower body weight than their peers. But in subsequent phases of development, they are shorter and more frequently overweight than boys without ADHD, when place of residence, socioeconomic status, term of birth, birth weight, comorbid conditions, and treatment are controlled.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Human Biological Development, Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanć
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Słopień
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Child Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw , Warsaw, Poland .
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wolańczyk
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Human Biological Development, Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szwed
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Human Biological Development, Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Czapla
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Human Biological Development, Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durda
authors.affiliation: 4 Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dmitrzak-Węglarz
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Human Biological Development, Institute of Anthropology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University , Poznań, Poland .
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ratajczak
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*