Associations between ADHD and eating disorders in relation to comorbid psychiatric disorders in a nationally representative sample. (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ziobrowski, Hannah; Brewerton, Timothy D.; Duncan, Alexis E.
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 260(2018)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: Anorexia nervosa -- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- Binge eating -- Bulimia nervosa -- Comorbidity; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.11.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine whether previously observed associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with eating disorders (EDs) are at least partially attributable to other underlying psychopathology. Data came from 4719 participants aged 18–44 years in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication and the National Survey of American Life. DSM-IV diagnoses were assessed using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations between DSM-IV lifetime and past-12 month diagnoses of ADHD with EDs in unadjusted models and in models adjusted for demographic variables and other psychopathology. Lifetime ADHD was strongly and significantly associated with lifetime bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), and any ED in unadjusted models, but not with anorexia nervosa or subthreshold BED. After adjusting for demographic variables and psychiatric comorbidities, all associations of lifetime ADHD with EDs were substantially attenuated, and only the association of ADHD with BN remained statistically significant. Similar results were found using past-12 month diagnoses. These results suggest that previously observed associations of ADHD with EDs might be due – at least in part – to additional psychiatric disorders that are often comorbid with both ADHD and EDs. Highlights: Examined associations of ADHD and eating disorders adjusting for comorbid disorders. Used nationally representative data with over 4000 participants. The strongest association was between ADHD and bulimia nervosa. Adjusting for comorbid disorders attenuated all associations.