By NewsGram Staff Writer

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Children's Centre have found that children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have a higher possibility of having Loss Of Control Eating Syndrome (LOC-ES).

Although the children with ADHD lose weight because of stimulant drugs, the disorder is usually associated with obesity, study leader Shauna P Reinblatt, assistant professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said.

The obesity in children with ADHD is being attributed to a link between the hallmark impulsivity of ADHD and loss of control over appetite and food consumption.

The study included 79 children between the ages of 8 to 14 from Baltimore area. Researchers based their relation between ADHD and LOC-ES on interviews, parental reports and objective measures. The children also underwent neuropsychological testing to measure how well they were able to control their impulses.

The study found that the chances of LOC-ES in children suffering from ADHD were increased 12 times as compared to those without ADHD. On the other hand, children suffering from LOC-ES were at a risk of having ADHD 7 times higher than others.

It was also found that the children with ADHD suffering from LOC-ES have a more severe form of ADHD streaked by more impulsive behavior that particularly manifests in their eating patterns, Dr. Reinblatt said.