PD917 - DIETARY PROCESSING LEVEL AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADHD: EVIDENCE FROM A SAUDI PEDIATRIC POPULATION

PD917

DIETARY PROCESSING LEVEL AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADHD: EVIDENCE FROM A SAUDI PEDIATRIC POPULATION

A. Alzaben^1,*, N. S. Alsuhaibani¹, L. M. Alwaili¹, H. K. Alotaibi¹, H. A. Alenezi¹, L. A. Alkhudairy¹, A. A. Aljahdali^2,3

¹Department of Health Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, ²Department of Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, , King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ³Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of public health, University of Michigan, Ann Arboar, United States

Rationale: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The aims of the study were to understand the socioeconomics and lifestyle determinants of ultra-processed foods and beverages (UPFs) intake and quality of life (QoL) in children and adolescents with ADHD in Saudi Arabia and assess the association between UPFs and QoL.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involved 128 children (66% males and 34% females) diagnosed with ADHD and aged between 8 and 18 years, was conducted. A validated Saudi food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake, and the degree of food processing was assessed using nova classification system. Health-related QoL was measured with the Pediatric QoL Inventory model from both child and parent.

Results: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) accounted for 48.76% ± 13.40 of the total energy intakes (TEI), representing the highest contribution, followed by unprocessed or minimally processed foods (UFs) by 39.80% ± 13.35. The total QoL score of child and parent perspectives were 57.97 ± 16.09 and 57.83 ± 18.12, respectively. Child and parent prospective QoL were significantly lower than the norms of healthy norms (P-value <0.0001). BMI-z was inversely associated with the total health-related QoL scores reported by parents (r=-0.224; P-value = 0.0155) and   with % of TEI from UPFs (r=-0.183; P-value =0.0494).  No associations were found between QoL and UPFs (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Children and adolescents with ADHD had high consumption of UPFs and lower QoL compared to the healthy norms. BMI-z was inversely associated with QoL and UPFs. These findings highlight the need for routine screening of dietary patterns in children and adolescents with ADHD.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared