%0 Journal Article
%T Nutritional Status of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study
%A Joy Y. Kiddie
%A Margaret D. Weiss
%A David D. Kitts
%A Ryna Levy-Milne
%A Michael B. Wasdell
%J International Journal of Pediatrics
%D 2010
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2010/767318
%X Objectives. This is a pilot study of the dietary intake and nutrient status of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Method. Nutritional assessment of 43 children aged 6¨C12 with ADHD was performed using a 3-day food record, 24-hour recall, and serum assessors. Results. Macronutrient intake and consumption of Low-Nutrient Foods were comparable to population norms; however, 66% were found to be deficient in zinc and 23% in copper. Conclusions. This pilot study reports the food intake and nutrient status of children with ADHD and shows a predisposition for low zinc and copper status in ADHD. 1. Introduction While diet and supplements in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have and continue to remain a popular explanation of the disorder that has generated a wealth of research [1¨C4], there has been minimal empirical research characterizing both dietary intake and serum nutrients. Children with ADHD may be at risk for a variety of nutrient deficiencies due to the attentional demands required to sit through a meal to obtain adequate levels of nutrient intake, as well as the appetite suppressant effects of treatment medication. There are currently only four studies assessing dietary intake in ADHD; a study of ADHD preschoolers [5], two overseas studies assessing dietary intake in school-aged children in Taiwan [6] and Poland [7], and one study assessing dietary intake in the United States [8]. Methodological limitations in former research include the use of dietary assessment tools which were not validated for pediatric use [8] and a comparison of grouped dietary intake data on ADHD children to assessors of individual dietary requirements, rather than assessors of group dietary requirements [8, 9]. There is now evidence to suggest that ADHD may be associated with low trace mineral status, specifically zinc and iron [10, 11]. This finding is of considerable interest given the fact that iron and zinc, as well as copper, are essential cofactors in the production of dopamine and norepinephrine; two neurotransmitters that play an essential role in the etiology of ADHD [12¨C14]. Serum zinc levels have been found to be significantly lower in ADHD children compared to controls in several controlled studies around the world, including Poland [15], Turkey [7], Israel [16], the United States [8, 17], and the United Kingdom [18], despite the fact that the diet of these countries is very different, suggesting this to be a finding worth further investigation. Robust correlation has also been found between serum zinc and attention ratings,
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijpedi/2010/767318/