PD439 - PRO-INFLAMMATORY DIET IS ASSOCIATED WITH ADHD SYMPTOM SEVERITY IN CHILDREN

PD439

PRO-INFLAMMATORY DIET IS ASSOCIATED WITH ADHD SYMPTOM SEVERITY IN CHILDREN

B. Aloğlu¹, K. Kara², Ö. Kaya Kara³, M. S. Karaçil Ermumcu¹, C. Özyıldırım ¹, M. Wirth⁴, S. Price⁵, N. Seremet Kürklü^1,*

¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Sciences , ²Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ministry of Health Antalya Training and Research Hospital, ³Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Akdeniz University, Faculty of Sciences , Antalya, Türkiye, ⁴Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Nursing, Columbia, ⁵Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Of South Carolina, Arnold School Of Public Health, Columbia, South Carolina, United States

Rationale: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition in which dietary habits and inflammation may contribute to symptom development. Increasing evidence suggests that pro-inflammatory dietary patterns may influence behavioral outcomes through neuroinflammatory pathways. This study aimed to examine the relationship between dietary inflammatory potential and ADHD symptom severity in children.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 42 children diagnosed with ADHD and 42 healthy controls aged 6–18 years. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall, and the Children’s Dietary Inflammatory Index (C-DII) was calculated. ADHD symptom severity was evaluated using the Conners Parent Rating Scale. Anthropometric measurements and physical activity were recorded. Biochemical parameters, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and hematological inflammatory indices, were obtained from medical records. Correlation analyses were performed to explore associations between dietary inflammatory potential and behavioral outcomes.

Results: CRP levels were significantly higher in children with ADHD compared to controls (2.8±3.99 vs. 1.1±1.32 mg/L, p<0.05). The C-DII score was also higher in the ADHD group, indicating a more pro-inflammatory dietary pattern (p<0.05). Higher C-DII scores were positively correlated with hyperactivity (r=0.374, p<0.05) and anxiety–shyness scores (p<0.05). Children with a more pro-inflammatory diet had higher hyperactivity scores than those with an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern. No significant associations were found between C-DII and systemic inflammatory markers.

Conclusion: A more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with greater ADHD symptom severity, particularly hyperactivity and anxiety-related behaviors. These findings suggest that dietary approaches targeting inflammation may be considered as part of nutritional strategies in ADHD management.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared