Study: Pre-pregnancy obesity does not cause ADHD in children

By Staff Writer

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics reveals that a woman's weight prior to pregnancy has no impact on the behavioral issues of their children, which refutes previous studies that linked obesity to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other cognitive problems in offspring.

According to WebMD Health News, researchers examined the results of two European pregnancy study groups that were comprised of about 7,500 mothers and their children. They discovered no consistent link between pre-pregnancy obesity and a child's verbal and non-verbal skills, behavior problems and ADHD.

Previous studies had theorized that overweight women had abnormal activity in the uterus during pregnancy that may increase the risk of behavioral issues in children. The new study dismisses these theories and concludes that socioeconomic and post-pregnancy factors are more likely to increase the risk of cognitive issues in the offspring.

Manju Monga of the University of Texas Health Science Centers told WebMD that women should still control their weight prior to pregnancy because maternal obesity is linked to an increased risk of health problems in offspring, such as gestational diabetes and childhood obesity.

Problem teens who suffer from ADHD or other cognitive issues may benefit from boarding schools, which aim to help adolescents improve in the classroom.