Examining eating behaviours in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and the effect of autistic-like traits on eating behaviors

Aim: Our study aimed to examine eating behaviours(EB) in children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD), to evaluate the relationship between Autistic-like Traits(ALT) and EB and compare these with healthy children. Method: 59 children with ADHD and 60 healthy children aged 6-10 were included. The ADHD diagnosis was confirmed and other psychopathology was evaluated with K-SADS-PL. Children with other psychopathology and chronic illness were excluded. Included children and their parents were interviewed and a Sociodemographic Data Form was filled out. Parents of children with ADHD completed DSM-Based Screening and Rating Scale for Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders(DBRS) and the severity of ADHD was determined. Parents of all children were asked to complete the Autism Behavior Checklist(ABC), Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire(ASSQ) and the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire(CEBQ). Results: Scores of Enjoyment of Food(EF) were significantly lower and scores of Slowness in Eating(SE) were significantly higher in ADHD(p<0,05). The hyperactivity(H) subtype had lower BMI than the attention deficit(AD) and combined(C)(p<0,05) subtypes. DBRS AD scores were correlated with SE and desire to drink(DD)(p<0,05);H scores were correlated with emotional undereating(EUE) and DD(p<0,05). In ADHD all ABC scores and ASSQ score was higher(p<0,05). Between ALT and EB in healthy children, a negative correlation was found only between ABC language skills(ABC-LS) and emotional overeating (EOE)(p<0,05).In children with ADHD,positive correlations were found between Food Responsiveness(FR) and all ABC subscales except for Sensory Domain(SD) and Relationship Building(RB) (p<0,05); positive correlations were found between EOE and ABC-SD, ABC-LS, ABC Social and selfcare skills(p<0,05),positive correlations were found between DD and ASSQ score(p<0,05) and all ABC subscales except ABC-SD(p<0,05). Conclusion: We found that there are more disordered eating behaviours (DEB) and ALT in children with ADHD and that DEB were associated with ALT.So it is important to pay attention to ALT when working with DEB,especially in children with ADHD. Keywords: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Autistic-like Traits, Eating Behaviors, Body Mass Index