Medication And Exercise Habits Of Children With And Without Adhd: Analysis Form The 2016-2023 National Survey Of Children’S Health

Different medications are often used to combat the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, little is known about their effect on physical activity (PA) among children with ADHD. PURPOSE: To compare the proportion of children meeting aerobic PA guidelines among three groups: children without ADHD, children with ADHD not taking medication, and children with ADHD taking medication. METHODS: Children from the 2016-2023 National Survey of Children’s Health were divided into three groups based on the proxy reporting of ADHD status and medication for ADHD status by guardians. Children were classified as meeting the aerobic PA guidelines if reported engaging in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day for seven days. Otherwise, they were classified as not meeting the guidelines. Descriptive analysis, chi-square analysis, and adjusted logistic regressions were performed with participants’ demographic serving as covariates. RESULTS: A total of 177557 children with 88.10% of children without ADHD, 4.95% of children with ADHD not taking medication, and 6.95% of children with ADHD taking medication were included in the analysis. Only 19.21% of children without ADHD, 17.52% of children with ADHD not taking medication, and 17.82% of children with ADHD taking medication met the guidelines. Statistically significant association between aerobic PA guidelines and group were found (F = 3.66, p = .03). Participants with ADHD not taking medication were 0.86 (95% CI [0.77, 0.80]) and participants with ADHD taking medication were 0.84 (95% CI [0.76, 0.96]) times the odds of participants without ADHD in meeting the guidelines, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ADHD, whether taking medication or not, are less likely to meet physical activity guidelines compared to children without ADHD. Medication for ADHD might not impact physical activity levels among children with ADHD.