Ruf Alea, Neubauer Andreas B, Koch Elena D, Ebner-Priemer Ulrich, Reif Andreas, Matura Silke
Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Germany.
DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Neurosci Appl. 2025 Feb 8;4:105509. doi: 10.1016/j.nsa.2025.105509. eCollection 2025.
Meta-analytical evidence suggests that adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face a 70% higher risk for obesity. Elevated levels of stress, the lack of adequate stress coping strategies, and the tendency to overeat might make individuals with ADHD vulnerable to stress-induced eating, i.e., engaging in (over)eating when feeling stressed - a behavioural pathway through which ADHD symptomatology may contribute to obesity. Research indicates that particularly impulsivity symptoms of ADHD are associated with overeating. This study is the first to use Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to assess (1) whether stress is generally associated with (over)eating in adults with ADHD and (2) whether trait and state impulsivity moderate the stress and eating relationship. Thirty-six adults with ADHD completed a 3-day EMA period. Participants reported perceived stress and state impulsivity eight times a day (signal-contingent) and recorded food intake (event-contingent). Multilevel two-part models were used to study the relationship between stress and the occurrence as well as the amount of food intake. Stress was not related to the occurrence and the amount of food intake. Trait and state impulsivity did not moderate the stress and eating relationship. This study provides preliminary evidence that adults with ADHD might not be at particular risk for stress eating. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings. Advancing our understanding of eating - a central, indispensable human behaviour - in this under-researched at-risk population is crucial given its significant public health impact due to the high disease burden and personal suffering associated with obesity and ADHD.
荟萃分析证据表明，患有注意力缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）的成年人肥胖风险高出70%。压力水平升高、缺乏适当的压力应对策略以及暴饮暴食的倾向可能使ADHD患者容易出现应激性进食，即在感到压力时进行（过度）进食——这是ADHD症状可能导致肥胖的一种行为途径。研究表明，ADHD的冲动症状尤其与暴饮暴食有关。本研究首次使用生态瞬时评估（EMA）来评估：（1）压力是否通常与ADHD成年人的（过度）进食有关；（2）特质冲动和状态冲动是否调节压力与进食的关系。36名患有ADHD的成年人完成了为期3天的EMA阶段。参与者每天报告8次感知到的压力和状态冲动（信号依存），并记录食物摄入量（事件依存）。使用多层次两部分模型来研究压力与食物摄入的发生以及摄入量之间的关系。压力与食物摄入的发生和摄入量无关。特质冲动和状态冲动并未调节压力与进食的关系。本研究提供了初步证据，表明患有ADHD的成年人可能不存在特别的应激性进食风险。需要未来的研究来重复这些发现。鉴于肥胖和ADHD带来的高疾病负担和个人痛苦对公共卫生有重大影响，在这个研究不足的高危人群中加深对进食这一核心、不可或缺的人类行为的理解至关重要。
