Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, School of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
2
Ministry of Health, Manama, Bahrain
3
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain
4
Faculty of Medicine, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt, Jordan
5
Department of Pharmacy, Al-Hussein Hospital, Ministry of Health, Al-Salt, Jordan
10.30476/ijns.2025.105641.1400
Abstract
Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affected by multiple determinants, including nutrition. Dietary patterns may increase ADHD symptom severity, yet this relationship is still underexplored in Amman, Jordan. The current paper examined Jordanian children’s dietary habits with and
without ADHD, concentrating on specific trends in relation to sex and the potential protective role of early nutrition.
Methods: A case control design was utilized to achieve the study objectives. The sample was consisted of 67 ADHD-diagnosed children and 171 non-diagnosed children aged 6-12 years old. A validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to collect and analyze dietary data, along with ADHD assessment of symptom scores via the Conners scale. Linear regression and Chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis.
Results: Compared with non-diagnosed peers, males with ADHD consumed significantly more sugary drinks (p=0.008) and fast food (p=0.008). However, the findings demonstrated no significant differences among females. There was also a correlation between processed meat intake and higher ADHD symptom scores among both sexes (p=0.007). The results also revealed a relationship between breastfeeding and reduced ADHD severity among males (p=0.024). Conversely, there was no relationship between breastfeeding and reduced ADHD severity among females.
Conclusion: ADHD management, especially among males, can be complemented by dietary interventions concentrating on nutrient-dense foods and decreasing processed food intake. These results emphasize the importance of sex-specific approaches and early nutritional strategies in mitigating ADHD symptoms.
Highlights
Hadeel Ghazzawi (Google Scholar)
Keywords
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