Energy Expenditure in

ADHD Kids

Dr. Sharma:
www.drsharma.ca/
 ADHD and Obesity
• Dr. Sharma has constantly posted on the
relationship between Attention Hyperactivity
Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and obesity. We see a
remarkable number of adults with this
disorder in our bariatric clinic and, treating
this disorder is often a key step in helping
these patients manage their weight.
•
• In kids, this disorder is often characterized by
substantial hyperactivity, which would be
expected to burn more calories. But what
about the impact of ADHD on resting energy
expenditure (REE) and the thermogenic effect
of food (together accounting for about 60% if
not more of the daily calories burnt)?Dr. Sharma:
www.drsharma.ca/
 Study by Mueller
• This question was addressed by his
colleague Thomas Mueller and other
researchers from the University of
Alberta in a paper published online in
Eating and Weight Disorders.
•
• Mueller and his team studied 12 pre-
pubertal boys with untreated ADHD of
the hyperactive-impulsive type and
12 control boys without ADHD. In
addition, they examined an
independent group of 60 boys with
Dr. Sharma:
www.drsharma.ca/
 Study
• On average, REE was 6.5 kcal/kg fat free mass/day
higher in the ADHD compared to the control group.
However, there was no difference in the
thermogenic effect of food between groups. Neither
age nor restlessness explained the differences in
REE.
•
• Despite the higher REE (and likely higher activity
energy expenditiure due to the innate restlessness
that comes with this condition), boys with ADHD
had similar BMI levels compared to non-ADHD
reference groups.
•
• Thus, this paper shows that despite notably greater
energy expenditure, ADHD kids are not generally
leaner, clearly suggesting that they manage to
Dr. Sharma:
www.drsharma.ca/
make up for their greater energy needs through
 Findings
• One may well speculate that as these
kids become older and their REEs
(and activity expenditures?) decrease,
persistence of a higher caloric intake
than their non-ADHD peers may well
make them more prone to obesity as
adults.
•
• How and why REE is elevated in ADHD
clearly deserves further study. He
would certainly appreciate hearing
from any of his readers, who have
experience with the ingestiveDr. Sharma:
www.drsharma.ca/
 About Dr. Arya M. Sharma
 Dr. Arya M. Sharma, MD/PhD, FRCPC is Professor of Medicine
& Chair for Obesity Research and Management at the University of
Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. He is also the Medical Director of the
Edmonton Capital Health Region’s interdisciplinary Weight Wise
Program.

 Dr. Sharma is also the Scientific Director of the Canadian Obesity

Network funded through the federal Networks of Centres Excellence
program.

Dr. Sharma has authored and co-authored more than 250 scientific
articles and has lectured widely on the etiology and management of
obesity and related cardiovascular disorders. He sends his informative
messages through his blog Dr. Sharma’s Obesity Notes.

 For more information on Obesity visit;

 Website: http://www.drsharma.ca/
 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Arya-Sharma/115328778486319
Dr. Sharma:
www.drsharma.ca/
