Shared Genetic Factors Contributing to the Overlap Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Overweight/Obesity in Swedish Adolescent Girls and Boys

Overview

Journal Twin Res Hum Genet

Publisher Cambridge University Press

Specialty Genetics

Date 2023 Jan 12

PMID 36633106

Authors

Kristin N Javaras

Melissa A Munn-Chernoff

Elizabeth W Diemer

Laura M Thornton

Cynthia M Bulik

Zeynap Yilmaz

Paul Lichtenstein

Henrik Larsson

Jessica H Baker

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity are positively associated, with increasing evidence that they share genetic risk factors. Our aim was to examine whether these findings apply to both types of ADHD symptoms for female and male adolescents. We used data from 791 girl and 735 boy twins ages 16-17 years to examine sex-specific phenotypic correlations between the presence of ADHD symptoms and overweight/obese status. For correlations exceeding .20, we then fit bivariate twin models to estimate the genetic and environmental correlations between the presence of ADHD symptoms and overweight/obese status. ADHD symptoms and height/weight were parent- and self-reported, respectively. Phenotypic correlations were .30 (girls) and .08 (boys) for inattention and overweight/obese status and .23 (girls) and .14 (boys) for hyperactivity/impulsivity and overweight/obese status. In girls, both types of ADHD symptoms and overweight/obese status were highly heritable, with unique environmental effects comprising the remaining variance. Furthermore, shared genetic effects explained most of the phenotypic correlations in girls. Results suggest that the positive association of both types of ADHD symptoms with obesity may be stronger in girls than boys. Further, in girls, these associations may stem primarily from shared genetic factors.

Citing Articles

Mental health from childhood to adolescence predicts excessive weight and body composition at 18 years.

Santos I, Bierhals I, Tovo-Rodrigues L, Barros A, Munhoz T, Carpena M Nutrition. 2024; 126:112527.

PMID: 39089133 PMC: 11413523. DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2024.112527.

Childhood internalizing and externalizing problems and cardiovascular and diabetes mellitus risk in adolescence.

Bordelois P, Koenen K, Elkind M, Suglia S, Keyes K J Affect Disord. 2023; 335:239-247.

PMID: 37149053 PMC: 10809325. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.084.

References

Faraone S, Perlis R, Doyle A, Smoller J, Goralnick J, Holmgren M . Molecular genetics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2005; 57(11):1313-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.11.024. View

Pauli-Pott U, Reinhardt A, Bagus E, Wollenberg B, Schroer A, Heinzel-Gutenbrunner M . Psychosocial risk factors underlie the link between attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms and overweight at school entry. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016; 26(1):67-73. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-016-0870-1. View

Do E, Haberstick B, Williams R, Lessem J, Smolen A, Siegler I . The role of genetic and environmental influences on the association between childhood ADHD symptoms and BMI. Int J Obes (Lond). 2018; 43(1):33-42. PMC: 7065598. DOI: 10.1038/s41366-018-0236-5. View

Elks C, den Hoed M, Zhao J, Sharp S, Wareham N, Loos R . Variability in the heritability of body mass index: a systematic review and meta-regression. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2012; 3:29. PMC: 3355836. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2012.00029. View

Munn M, Stallings M, Rhee S, Sobik L, Corley R, Rhea S . Bivariate analysis of disordered eating characteristics in adolescence and young adulthood. Int J Eat Disord. 2010; 43(8):751-61. PMC: 2980580. DOI: 10.1002/eat.20854. View

Chen Q, Hartman C, Kuja-Halkola R, Faraone S, Almqvist C, Larsson H . Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and clinically diagnosed obesity in adolescence and young adulthood: a register-based study in Sweden. Psychol Med. 2018; 49(11):1841-1849. PMC: 8136973. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291718002532. View

Cronk N, Slutske W, Madden P, Bucholz K, Reich W, Heath A . Emotional and behavioral problems among female twins: an evaluation of the equal environments assumption. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002; 41(7):829-37. DOI: 10.1097/00004583-200207000-00016. View

Ng M, Fleming T, Robinson M, Thomson B, Graetz N, Margono C . Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet. 2014; 384(9945):766-81. PMC: 4624264. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60460-8. View

Larsson H, Lichtenstein P, Larsson J . Genetic contributions to the development of ADHD subtypes from childhood to adolescence. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2006; 45(8):973-981. DOI: 10.1097/01.chi.0000222787.57100.d8. View

10.

Cortese S, Moreira-Maia C, St Fleur D, Morcillo-Penalver C, Rohde L, Faraone S . Association Between ADHD and Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 2015; 173(1):34-43. DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15020266. View

11.

Roth Mota N, Poelmans G, Klein M, Torrico B, Fernandez-Castillo N, Cormand B . Cross-disorder genetic analyses implicate dopaminergic signaling as a biological link between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and obesity measures. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020; 45(7):1188-1195. PMC: 7234984. DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0592-4. View

12.

Polderman T, Derks E, Hudziak J, Verhulst F, Posthuma D, Boomsma D . Across the continuum of attention skills: a twin study of the SWAN ADHD rating scale. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007; 48(11):1080-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01783.x. View

13.

Kim J, Mutyala B, Agiovlasitis S, Fernhall B . Health behaviors and obesity among US children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by gender and medication use. Prev Med. 2011; 52(3-4):218-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.01.003. View

14.

Kase B, Rommelse N, Chen Q, Li L, Andersson A, Du Rietz E . Longitudinal Associations Between Symptoms of ADHD and BMI From Late Childhood to Early Adulthood. Pediatrics. 2021; 147(6). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-036657. View

15.

Chen Q, Kuja-Halkola R, Sjolander A, Serlachius E, Cortese S, Faraone S . Shared familial risk factors between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and overweight/obesity - a population-based familial coaggregation study in Sweden. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2017; 58(6):711-718. DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12686. View

16.

Merwood A, Greven C, Price T, Rijsdijk F, Kuntsi J, McLoughlin G . Different heritabilities but shared etiological influences for parent, teacher and self-ratings of ADHD symptoms: an adolescent twin study. Psychol Med. 2013; 43(9):1973-84. PMC: 3818571. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291712002978. View

17.

Min J, Chiu D, Wang Y . Variation in the heritability of body mass index based on diverse twin studies: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2013; 14(11):871-82. PMC: 4346225. DOI: 10.1111/obr.12065. View

18.

Skoglund C, Chen Q, DOnofrio B, Lichtenstein P, Larsson H . Familial confounding of the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and ADHD in offspring. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2014; 55(1):61-8. PMC: 4217138. DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12124. View

19.

Sullivan P, Eaves L . Evaluation of analyses of univariate discrete twin data. Behav Genet. 2002; 32(3):221-7. DOI: 10.1023/a:1016025229858. View

20.

Sherry B, Jefferds M, Grummer-Strawn L . Accuracy of adolescent self-report of height and weight in assessing overweight status: a literature review. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007; 161(12):1154-61. DOI: 10.1001/archpedi.161.12.1154. View