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Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric disorder in children. Relationship of the disorder with obesity is well known, but the mechanism has not been understood yet. Recent studies found out 1,5-2 fold increase in risk for overweight/obesity in patients with ADHD compared to normal population. The aim of the present study was to evaluate plasma leptin, adiponectin, neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels and to investigate the mechanism and etiology of weight gain in patients with ADHD.
Methods: The study was conducted in Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Inonu University from February 2013 to April 2013. 36 patients with a diagnosis of ADHD according to the DSM-IV- TR criteria (drug naive) and 40 healthy children were enrolled in this study. Plasma leptin, adiponectin and NPY levels were measured; age, height, weight were recorded and body mass index (BMI), BMI percentile, weight to height values were calculated for all patients enrolled in the study.
Results: This study included 29 (80.6 %) males and 7 (19.4%) females in the ADHD group and 29 (72.5%) males and 11 (27,5%)females in the control group. The mean age in the ADHD group was 9.3 years and 8.8 years in the control group. In the control group, 35 (87,5%) patients had normal, 1 (2.5%) had increased and 4 (10%) patients had decreased BMI percentile. 35 (75%) patients had normal, 5 (13.9%) patients had increased and 4 (11.1%) patients had decreased BMI percentile in the ADHD group. No significant difference was found between two groups in terms of age, gender, height, weight, BMI, BMI percentile, weight to height value and NPY plasma levels. Adiponectin plasma levels (p=0,003) and leptin / adiponectin ratio (p=0,009) were significantly higher in ADHD group.
Conclusion: These results suggest that weight gain in patients with ADHD may be related to the decrease in plasma adiponectin levels and increase in leptin / adiponectin ratio.