Associations among overeating, overweight, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A structural equation modelling approach

BackgroundSome recent studies have reported strong links between obesity and ADHD in adults; however, to date, little work has focussed on possible behavioural mechanisms that could account for this association.MethodThis study used structural equation modelling (SEM) in a sample of healthy adult women to test the predictions that ADHD symptoms predict aspects of overeating, including binge eating and emotionally-induced eating, which in turn are positively correlated with Body Mass Index.ResultsThe SEM produced a non-significant chi-square and both the measurement model and the structural model fit the data very well.ConclusionsPlausible mechanisms are discussed to help explain how the symptomatology of ADHD could foster different forms of overeating.