ADHD diagnoses have been increasing over the past few years, especially for adults. From 2007 to 2016, there has been a 123% increase in ADHD prevalence among adults, growing from 0.43% to 0.96%. With more people becoming aware of their ADHD diagnosis, it may shed light on certain behaviors that have affected them throughout life, including why they may struggle with weight management. The inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive traits in people with ADHD can make it challenging to address weight gain and eating behaviors. While weight management is a struggle for neurotypical people as well, people with ADHD may face more hurdles due to the condition. However, it’s not impossible to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Here’s how ADHD can affect your weight and how you can manage it: The link between ADHD and weight. The factors affecting weight gain are complex, and having ADHD may further contribute to obesity in a person. A combination of genetics, lifestyle behaviors, and environmental factors may play a role in the link between ADHD and obesity. Eating behaviors like binge eating, late-night snacking, or skipping meals may also be more frequent with ADHD, as it can be a struggle for those with the condition to plan ahead or pay attention to the body’s hunger or fullness cues. Many people with ADHD struggle with sleep, and excessive sleep disruptions can also affect weight and the ability to manage it. It’s important for everyone to manage their weight, whether or not they have ADHD. The difference between overweight and obesity may be only a few pounds on the scale or a few points on the body mass index, but the impacts on your health can be worlds apart. Being overweight comes with increased risks for health conditions, but obesity is a disease in itself and can lead to serious issues, including 200 obesity-associated disorders. As such, people with ADHD need to manage their weight to improve and maintain health. Here are some ways people with ADHD can practice weight management: Adjust your environment. It’s not easy to start managing your weight right off the bat; your ADHD may make it hard to stick to a meal plan or routine, and you could end up getting discouraged or frustrated when you can’t stick to it. Instead, you can start by adjusting your “food environment” to prevent overeating or consuming less nutritious foods. For instance, if you experience some disordered eating habits like impulsively snacking throughout the day, you can switch out your usual snacks for healthier alternatives. Swap out potato chips for nuts and seeds, or stock up on yogurt instead of ice cream. This can help you get into the habit of making smarter and more careful food choices for better weight management. Strive for balance in your diet. You might be considering calorie counting for weight management, but it might not be sustainable or healthy for someone with ADHD. Instead of keeping track of calories, focus on eating a nutritious and balanced diet. In the post on diet advice for ADHD, it’s recommended that you eat foods across the whole color spectrum. This means regularly eating something green, like leafy vegetables, or something red, like paprika or pomegranates. Taking note of the various colors on your plate can help you ensure you’re enriching your diet with various nutrients. Plan and schedule your day. Weight management will require you to take control of your lifestyle habits, from eating to sleeping. If you easily get distracted and end up skipping meals, set an eating schedule to stick to. You can set alarms or reminders on your phone to remind you that you have to eat. Planning out your meals can also ensure you don’t spend too long thinking of something to cook. Setting a sleeping schedule can also prevent you from staying up too late or getting disrupted. You can create a relaxing bedtime routine that starts at a specific time to help you unwind so your body and brain know it’s time for bed.
