High-Dose Statins May Ease Macular Degeneration for Some

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — High doses of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs — medicines such as Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor — may help people with a common eye disease called macular degeneration, a small study suggests.

In the early stage clinical trial, a team from Harvard Medical School assessed the effects of statin treatment in people with the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD affects more than 150 million people worldwide. The dry form is much more common and accounts for about 85 percent of cases, according to the researchers.

Effective treatments are available for the wet form of AMD, but not the dry form, so dry-form AMD remains the leading cause of blindness in the developed world.

In AMD, fat deposits form under the retina, so that patients develop blurring or blindness in the center of their vision.

In the study, 23 patients with dry-form AMD were given a high dose (80 milligrams) of atorvastatin (Lipitor).

In 10 of the patients, the fat deposits under the retina disappeared and they had a slight improvement in vision clarity, according to the study published online Feb. 4 in the journal EBioMedicine.

It typically took a year to 18 months of treatment for these positive results to arise, the researchers reported.

They noted that prior attempts to find ways to eliminate the fat deposits under the retina have failed.

However, “we found that intensive doses of statins carry the potential for clearing up the lipid [fat] debris that can lead to vision impairment in a subset of patients with macular degeneration,” said study co-author Dr. Joan Miller. She is chair of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and chief of ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Massachusetts General Hospital, both in Boston.

“We hope that this promising preliminary clinical trial will be the foundation for an effective treatment for millions of patients afflicted with AMD,” she said in an infirmary news release.

Study co-author Dr. Demetrios Vavvas is a clinician scientist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and co-director of the Ocular Regenerative Medicine Institute at Harvard Medical School. He said in the news release: “Not all cases of dry AMD are the exactly the same, and our findings suggest that if statins are going to help, they will be most effective when prescribed at high dosages in patients with an accumulation of soft, lipid material.”

However, he believes that, based on the new findings, “it may be possible to eventually have a treatment that not only arrests the disease but also reverses its damage and improves the visual acuity in some patients.”

The next step is to conduct a larger study of statin treatment in patients with dry AMD.

“This is a very accessible, FDA-approved drug that we have tremendous experience with,” Vavvas said. “Millions of patients take it for high cholesterol and heart disease, and based on our early results, we believe it offers the potential to halt progression of this disease, but possibly even to restore function in some patients with dry AMD.”

Two eye experts were cautiously optimistic about the new findings.

“Although the study is relatively small, the positive outcomes certainly warrant a larger clinical trial,” said Dr. Mark Fromer, an ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “This may benefit millions of patients with macular degeneration and slow their progression to more serious disease.”

Dr. Nazanin Barzideh is chief of vitreoretinal surgery at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y. She called the research “exciting,” and noted that heart disease treatments have long shown some secondary effects in easing AMD.

Now, Barzideh said, “we also can finally tell our patients controlling their lipid [cholesterol] levels can also be helpful in maintaining their vision. I, for one, am very excited about this study and to share the results with my macular degeneration patients.”

More information

The U.S. National Eye Institute has more about age-related macular degeneration.

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Daily Bit of Chocolate in Pregnancy May Help Mom, Baby

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pregnant women who nibble just a small piece of chocolate each day may improve the circulatory health of their unborn child, a new study suggests.

The tiny treat may also reduce the risk for preeclampsia, a potentially deadly condition in which a pregnant woman with normal blood pressure suddenly develops dangerously high blood pressure, the researchers said.

The findings held up regardless of whether the chocolate consumed contained high or low amounts of so-called flavanols. Some experts believe these compounds — found in certain plant-based food items — may confer a number of health benefits.

But the association seen in the study did not prove that eating chocolate during pregnancy caused better circulatory health in pregnant women and their babies.

“Our observations suggest that a regular small consumption of dark chocolate — whether or not the level of flavanol is high — from the first trimester of pregnancy, could lead to an improvement of placental function,” said study author Dr. Emmanuel Bujold. He is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Universite Laval in Quebec City, Canada.

And at least one nutritionist said she wasn’t ready to embrace the study’s findings.

The findings were scheduled for presentation Thursday at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting, in Atlanta. The data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Flavanols are naturally present in large quantities in unprocessed cocoa. However, they have a somewhat bitter taste and some of the techniques used to turn natural cocoa into tasty cocoa powder or chocolate (such as fermentation) can result in a significant loss of flavanols, experts say.

For consumers, knowing when a piece of chocolate does or does not have a high amount of flavanols can be tricky.

That said, Bujold’s team decided to see whether differences in flavanol content had any effect on the pregnancies of nearly 130 women.

All of the women in the study were at the 11- to 14-week mark of their pregnancy, and carrying one child.

All were instructed to consume 30 grams of chocolate (a little more than one ounce) each day over a 12-week period. That’s equivalent to about one small square of chocolate per day, Bujold said.

Half of the women consumed high-flavanol chocolate, while the other half were given low-flavanol chocolate. All were then tracked until their delivery date.

Regardless of which type of chocolate was consumed, the women faced the same risk for both preeclampsia and routine high blood pressure. Placental weight and birth weight was also the same in both groups, the investigators found.

Similarly, fetal and placental blood circulation levels, as well as in-utero blood velocity, did not appear to be affected by shifting flavanol levels.

However, simply consuming a small amount of chocolate — no matter what the flavanol content — was associated with notable improvements in all blood circulation and velocity measures compared to the general population, the researchers said.

Bujold said this suggests that there’s something about chocolate, apart from flavanol levels, that may exert a positive influence on the course of pregnancy. Finding out exactly what that is “could lead to improvement of women’s and children’s health, along with a significant reduction of treatment cost,” he said.

However, he added that the “consumption of chocolate must remain reasonable during pregnancy, and caloric input has to be considered in the equation.”

That point was seconded by Lona Sandon, an assistant professor in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

“This is not a license to go wild with chocolate,” she said. “Keep in mind the amount of chocolate was only 30 grams, or one ounce. That is just a few bites. Piling on the chocolate bars may pile on the pounds beyond what pregnant women would be advised to gain,” Sandon warned.

“Also, there are plenty of other nutrients that pregnant women would be better off focusing on for proper growth and development of the baby,” Sandon said, “such as folate, calcium, protein and iron from quality food sources.”

Her bottom-line?

“Enjoy a little good chocolate from time to time,” Sandon said. “But I am not recommending it yet for a healthy pregnancy.”

More information

There’s more on chocolate and health at the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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‘Obese’ May Not Always Equal Unhealthy: Study

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Many overweight and obese Americans might be perfectly healthy when it comes to blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels — while many thin folks may not be the picture of good health, a new study contends.

Using a government health survey, researchers found that nearly half of overweight U.S. adults were “metabolically healthy.”

That meant they had no more than one risk factor for type 2 diabetes and heart disease — including high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels, elevated blood sugar, or high concentrations of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation in the blood vessels).

Among obese adults, 29 percent were deemed healthy — as were 16 percent of those who were severely obese based on body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height).

On the other hand, more than 30 percent of normal-weight Americans were metabolically unhealthy.

The researchers estimate that nearly 75 million Americans would be “misclassified” as heart-healthy if BMI is the only yardstick.

“The bigger picture we want to draw from our findings is that the dominant way of thinking about weight — that higher-weight individuals will always be unhealthy — is flawed,” said Jeffrey Hunger, one of the researchers on the study and a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The study, published Feb. 4 in the International Journal of Obesity, is far from the first to find that obese adults can be in good shape as far as heart health. Researchers have debated the “fat but fit” theory for years.

By the same token, studies have shown, being thin is no guarantee of good health.

But, Hunger said, the new findings also help “solidify” the number of Americans who could be mistakenly deemed unhealthy based solely on BMI.

That has potential “real-world consequences,” Hunger said. Many larger U.S. businesses offer employee wellness programs, which can include discounts on health insurance premiums for meeting certain goals, such as weight loss. Some employers penalize employees for not participating.

Hunger’s team says the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has proposed rules that would allow employers to charge workers up to 30 percent of their health insurance costs if they fail to meet certain health criteria, including a specified BMI.

The new study’s findings are based on more than 40,000 U.S. adults who took part in a nationally representative federal health study between 2005 and 2012.

Obese men and women were, in fact, the most likely to fall into the unhealthy category: Depending on the severity of their obesity, 71 percent to 84 percent had risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. That compared with 24 percent of underweight and 31 percent of normal-weight adults.

Still, Hunger said, weight is not the be-all and end-all.

“Right now, we have this laser focus on weight when we should be talking about health,” he said. “The general public should try to focus on improving their health behaviors — eating well, staying active and getting enough sleep — and forget about the number on the scale.”

But Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, cautioned that weight does still matter.

He noted that some recent studies have been challenging that idea of “metabolically healthy obesity.”

Last year, researchers reported on a long-term study of more than 1 million Swedish men showing that those who were obese but fit — based on a cycling test — were 30 percent more likely to die prematurely than men who were out of shape but thin.

But another study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, followed 2,500 British adults for 20 years. It found that among those who were obese but healthy at the outset, more than half eventually developed high blood pressure, diabetes and other risk factors for heart disease — often within five years.

It’s true, Fonarow said, that at any point in time, obese people may be metabolically healthy. But over the years, obesity takes its toll.

“So individuals who are classified as obese by BMI are at increased risk for a variety of obesity-related ills,” he said.

Still, Hunger and his colleagues warn against “obsessing” over weight, which may only worsen heavier people’s well-being. Instead, healthy eating and regular exercise should be the focus, rather than BMI, Hunger said.

“Practically speaking,” he said, “the conversation needs to shift.”

More information

The American Heart Association has more on a heart-healthy lifestyle.

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4 Things to Think About Before You Get a Breast Reduction

Photo: Getty Images

In a recent interview with People, Modern Family star Ariel Winter called her breast reduction surgery last year “an instant weight lifted off my chest—both literally and figuratively.” The 18-year-old actress, who went from a 32F to a 34D, added that “there’s a confidence you find when you finally feel right in your body.” (That awesome swagger was on display at the SAG Awards in January when she proudly embraced her surgery scars.)

RELATED: 15 Things That Can Happen After a Breast Reduction

Winter is hardly alone, as more and more women are choosing to reduce their cup size. Between 1997 and 2013, the number of breast reductions rose by 157 percent, according the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. “I think the trend is a result of the fact that people are becoming more informed as to what their options are,” says plastic surgeon Daniel Maman, MD, who is an assistant clinical professor of surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Below, he recommends four things women should think about before getting a breast reduction. The next step, he says, would be to set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss whether the operation is right for you.

The physical pain of having large breasts

Carrying extra weight on your chest can cause significant discomfort. Ariel Winter said the physical pain is what ultimately led her to choose surgery. Typically felt in the lower back, neck, and shoulders, and even as headaches, that discomfort can have a ripple effect into other areas of a woman’s life. A study published in 2013 found that patients who underwent breast reduction surgery not only experienced less pain, but also a significant improvement in the quality of their sleep and their ability to exercise.

RELATED: 10 Sports Bras for Women with Big Busts

The effect of your size on your self-esteem

“Oftentimes women [I see] are just very self-conscious about their breasts,” says Dr. Maman. “They feel like they are unable to wear certain types of clothes that they like to wear.” Indeed, Winter talked about how it felt to be bullied about her appearance online: “I’d just be wearing something anyone else could wear, but I’d read comments saying, ‘She dresses inappropriately.'” Large breasts tend to attract a lot of unwanted attention, which may help explain why so many women who get reductions are typically happy with the outcome. In a 2012 study, one year out from their surgery, 80% of patients rated their results as “good” or “very good.”

The fact that you may not get the breasts you really want

Ever body is different, Dr. Maman points out, and the “perfect” breasts you’re picturing may not be realistic on your frame. After the surgery, your boobs will not only be smaller, they may also be a different shape, and in a different position on your chest. Before you go under the knife, it’s really important to get a very clear picture from your surgeon of how your breasts will change, says Dr. Maman. “A lot of times what I will see is a patient comes in and they have really large breasts with loose skin and large areolas that point towards the floor and then show me a picture of a breast of an 18-year-old girl with very small perky breasts,” he explains. “That’s just not achievable.”

RELATED: What the Perfect Breast Looks Like, According to Men and Women

The cost and recovery

Breast reduction surgery is an expensive procedure, though your insurance may cover it if it’s performed to relieve medical symptoms. The recovery time can take anywhere from two to six weeks. Another factor to weigh: If your nipples are removed from your breast, and you’re planning to have a baby in the future, you won’t be able to breastfeed. Even if your nipples remain attached through the surgery, you may still have some difficulty. However, it may not be as bad as you’d think. A study done at McGill University found that a woman’s odds of being able to nurse after the procedure were about the same as those of other moms.

 

 

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Bear Belly Might Hold Clues to Obesity in Humans

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Changes in their gut microbes help bears prepare for hibernation, according to laboratory research that may hold clues for combating obesity in people.

As they prepare to hunker down for the winter, bears eat as much as possible, to boost their body fat. Despite the rapid weight gain, they don’t suffer the health problems associated with obesity in people, Swedish researchers noted.

The team analyzed fecal samples from wild brown bears and found seasonal changes in gut microbe populations. In the summer, the gut microbe population is more diverse and takes in more energy from food.

In winter, during hibernation, the gut microbe population is less diverse, according to the study published Feb 4 in the journal Cell Reports.

The researchers transferred the gut microbes from the bears into mice. Those that received the bears’ summer gut microbes put on more fat and weight than those that received the bears’ winter gut microbes.

Despite putting on more fat and weight, the mice that received the bears’ summer gut microbes had either no change or even a slight improvement in their sugar (glucose) metabolism, compared to those who received the bears’ winter gut microbes, the study found.

Potentially, the findings could point to new ways to manage obesity in people, said study leader Fredrik Backhed, of the University of Gothenburg.

It’s too early to say for sure, “as I consider this being very basic science,” he said in a journal news release. “However, if we learn more about which bacteria and the functions that promote and/or protect against obesity [in hibernating bears], we may identify new potential therapeutic targets.”

Also, results of animal experiments often aren’t replicated in humans.

In previous research, Backhed and colleagues found that the composition of gut microbe populations can affect the amount of energy gathered from food, and that these populations change in people who are obese or have type 2 diabetes.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains how to prevent weight gain.

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Majority of Americans and Canadians Expects Cancer Cure in Their Lifetime

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A majority of American and Canadian adults believe a cure for cancer will be found in their lifetime, and that a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence, according to a new Harris Poll.

Nearly three out of five Americans and Canadians expect a cure for cancer in their lifetime. That belief is especially strong among those ages 18 to 34. Nearly three-quarters of young Americans and 69 percent of Canadians in that age group expect a cure in their lifetime.

And, about two-thirds of Americans and Canadians don’t think death is inevitable when someone is diagnosed with cancer, the poll found.

However, Americans adults under 35 are more likely to believe that a cancer diagnosis is a death sentence than those 35 and older (39 percent vs. 29 percent). Americans whose lives have been affected by cancer are also more likely to view cancer as deadly compared to those who haven’t been affected by cancer (35 percent vs. 29 percent), the poll revealed.

The poll was released to mark World Cancer Day on Feb. 4. It included just over 2,000 American and more than 1,100 Canadian adults. The online survey was conducted in late January.

“So many of us have had personal experiences with cancer or know someone who has,” Harris Poll Vice President and Public Relations Consultant Deana Percassi said in a Harris news release. “In honor of World Cancer Day, we wanted to understand how Americans and Canadians feel about this disease.”

Some other poll findings:

• About 38 percent of Americans and 34 percent of Canadians believe a great deal of effort is going toward improving cancer detection, while 87 percent and 85 percent, respectively, believe at least some effort is being made.
• Thirty-five percent of Americans and 30 percent of Canadians believe significant progress has been made in the fight against cancer in the past 10 years, while 87 percent of Americans and 83 percent of Canadians, respectively, believe some progress has been made.
• About one-third of Americans and 27 percent of Canadians believe a lot of effort is going toward improving cancer patients’ quality of life, and more than four out of five in both countries feel at least some effort is being made in this area.
• Twenty-eight percent of Americans and 27 percent of Canadians feel a great deal of effort is being made toward cancer prevention, and 77 percent and 78 percent, respectively, believe at least some effort is being made.
• However, only 20 percent of Americans and 19 percent of Canadians believe significant progress has been made in cancer prevention over the past 10 years.

Americans whose lives have been affected by cancer were especially likely to believe that efforts and progress are being made in all these areas, the poll showed.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer.

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Head Injuries May Explain Henry VIII’s Erratic Behavior, Study Suggests

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Henry VIII’s reign was a tumultuous one, and new research suggests the monarch’s erratic behavior may have been linked to brain injuries similar to those affecting some pro football players today.

Scientists at Yale University believe that repeated head injuries during jousting matches might have transformed an intelligent, even-tempered young man into an impulsive, forgetful king known for his rage and impulsive decisions.

After examining volumes of letters and other historical documents describing Henry’s medical history and events that may have affected his health and behavior, the researchers concluded that the most plausible explanation for the English monarch’s headaches, insomnia, memory loss, poor impulse control and short temper were jousting injuries.

“It is intriguing to think that modern European history may have changed forever because of a blow to the head,” study senior author Dr. Arash Salardini, a behavioral neurologist and co-director of the Yale Memory Clinic in New Haven, Conn., said in a university news release.

Henry VIII may be best known for his pivotal role in the English Reformation, the researchers said. The Reformation separated the Church of England from the Catholic Church following a dispute with the Pope over the monarch’s request to annul his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Ann Boleyn. Also known for his explosive anger, Henry was married six times and had two of his wives beheaded, the study authors noted.

Researchers reviewed historical documents to investigate what might have influenced Henry’s health and erratic behavior. He sustained three serious head injuries that may have played a role, they said.

In 1524, Henry was dazed when a lance penetrated his helmet during a jousting tournament. The following year, he fell head first into a brook while trying to vault across the water. The incident rendered him unconscious. And, in 1536, he lost consciousness for two hours after a horse fell on him.

“Historians agree his behavior changed after 1536,” said Salardini.

For example, in 1546 Henry was assuring his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, that he wouldn’t send her to the Tower of London, forgetting that he’d given soldiers an order to arrest her the day before.

Metabolic syndrome — a group of heart disease risk factors — and impotence are also possible signs that a traumatic brain injury occurred, the researchers said. Historical records suggest Henry may have suffered from sexual dysfunction as early as 1533, the researchers said.

Based on the available evidence, the team concluded that brain injury explains Henry’s troubled behavior better than other suspected health issues.

The study was published online Feb. 2, and is to be published in the June print edition of the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke provides more information on traumatic brain injury.

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Too Much, Too Little Sleep During Pregnancy May Prompt Weight Gain

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Sleeping too few or too many hours a night may lead to excessive weight gain during pregnancy, a new study suggests.

“We know that poor sleep in pregnancy has been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes,” wrote researcher Dr. Francesca Facco, who’s with the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

“Our findings provide a potential mechanism [weight gain] for poor sleep in pregnancy and adverse outcomes,” she said in a news release from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Previous research has suggested that poor sleep is associated with weight gain and obesity in women who are not pregnant. The authors of this new study wanted to examine a possible link between sleep and weight gain during pregnancy.

The study included 751 pregnant women whose sleep was monitored for seven straight days. About two-thirds of the women slept between seven and nine hours a night.

The researchers found that short or long sleep duration was associated with extra weight gain during pregnancy.

The study is to be presented Thursday at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting, in Atlanta.

Research presented at meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

More information

The March of Dimes has more about weight gain during pregnancy.

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Exercise May Prevent Harmful Falls in Men

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Regular exercise reduces older men’s risk of serious injuries from falls, a new study finds.

“The physical activity program was more effective in reducing the rate of serious fall injuries in men than in women,” said study author Dr. Thomas Gill, a professor of geriatrics at Yale University, in New Haven, Conn.

Although the findings were mixed, they suggest that moderate exercise may help prevent serious falls, the leading cause of injury in people 70 and older, Gill said in a university news release.

The study included more than 1,600 inactive women and men, aged 70 to 89, randomly assigned to either a long-term, moderate exercise regimen or to a health education program.

The physical activity sessions included walking and flexibility, strength and balance training.

Compared to those in the health education group, men in the workout group had a 38 percent lower risk of serious fall injuries, a 53 percent lower risk of fall-related fractures, and a 59 percent lower rate of fall injuries requiring hospitalization.

The exercise program did not appear to reduce women’s risk of serious fall injuries, according to the study published online Feb. 3 in the journal BMJ.

The men in the exercise group boosted their physical activity levels more than the women, and also had greater improvements in gait, balance and muscle strength, the researchers said.

“The results from the current study support continued evaluation of the physical activity program for possible widespread implementation in the community,” Gill said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about older adults and falls.

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ADHD Tied to Obesity Risk for Girls, Study Contends

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have their share of challenges. And new research suggests a tendency toward obesity may be one of them.

In a 1,000-person study, Mayo Clinic researchers found that girls with ADHD may be twice as likely to be obese in childhood or early adulthood as girls without the disorder.

This association was not linked to treatment with stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall, the researchers said.

“There are a couple of biological mechanisms that underlie both obesity and ADHD,” said Dr. Seema Kumar, a pediatrician and researcher at Mayo Clinic Children’s Research Center in Rochester, Minn.

The abnormalities in the brain that can cause ADHD can also cause eating disorders, Kumar said. “Girls with ADHD may not be able to control their eating and may end up overeating,” she explained. “Because kids with ADHD don’t have impulse control, it may also play a role in this.”

Sleep issues, which often go hand in hand with ADHD, may also contribute to weight gain, the researchers suggested.

But weight gain is not a given, said Dr. Brandon Korman, chief of neuropsychology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. While the Mayo research shows an association between ADHD and obesity, it doesn’t mean it’s bound to happen, he said.

“Parents and physicians and other caregivers need to be proactive in monitoring eating habits and exercise, and be aware of changes in body composition,” said Korman, who wasn’t involved in the study. A healthy diet and active lifestyle are important, he added.

This association between ADHD and obesity was not found among men, Kumar said. And, she added, boys with the condition don’t often have eating disorders.

Boys with ADHD tend to be hyperactive and burn more calories, according to Kumar. “It is possible that there are differences in eating patterns with boys with ADHD or differences in the types of ADHD girls have,” she said.

Korman agreed that ADHD looks different in girls than boys.

“Boys tend to act out, while girls may engage in eating behaviors,” Korman said. Girls have more “internalizing behaviors” and less “externalizing behaviors,” he said.

Between 8 percent and 16 percent of school-age children have ADHD, according to background notes with the study. These kids often have trouble staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and may be overactive. Academics and social relationships can suffer as a result.

Prior research has shown that kids with ADHD are heavier than average, and that significant ADHD symptoms are twice as likely in overweight children, the researchers said.

Because obesity rates have skyrocketed in the United States over the past three decades, leading to serious health problems, the study authors suggested that it’s important to understand the various causes.

The report was published Feb. 4 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

For the study, Kumar and colleagues compared medical records of 336 people diagnosed with ADHD in childhood with more than 600 people who had not had the diagnosis. All of the adults had been born between 1976 and 1982.

The investigators examined medical records through August 2010 and found that, among women, nearly 42 percent of ADHD patients were obese after age 20 compared to less than 20 percent of those without ADHD. Obesity rates were similar in those with and without stimulant treatment.

Korman said parents and doctors need to be aware of the association between obesity and ADHD but should realize it is only a possibility.

“One of the last things we want to do is create a panic,” he said. “ADHD is not a sentence for being obese, but these findings warrant a greater awareness. It’s unhealthy expecting that this will happen, but it’s a good thing to be aware of it.”

More information

For more on ADHD, visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.

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