Examining health behaviour profiles among children with autism and ADHD using latent profile analysis

Children diagnosed with autism and ADHD are at heightened risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes, potentially linked to suboptimal engagement in health-promoting behaviours. While multiple health promoting behaviours often co-occur, limited research has explored how combinations of physical activity, screen time, diet, and sleep cluster among children with ADHD and/or autism. This study employed latent profile analysis to identify distinct health behaviour profiles in a community sample of 982 Australian children aged 7–12 years with parent-reported diagnoses of autism, ADHD, or both. Parents completed validated questionnaires assessing children’s physical activity, sedentary screen time, diet quality, total sleep time, and sleep disturbances. Five latent profiles were identified, ranging from generally healthy to highly unhealthy behaviour patterns. Children with co-occurring autism and ADHD or a sole diagnosis of autism were significantly more likely to be represented in the least healthy profiles—marked by low physical activity, high screen time, poor diet quality, and greater sleep disturbances—compared to those with a sole diagnosis of ADHD. Findings highlight the need for targeted, multi-component interventions to support healthier lifestyles, especially among children with autism or co-occurring autism and ADHD. Tailored strategies may help mitigate long-term health risks in this vulnerable population by addressing the unique barriers they face in adopting and sustaining healthy behaviours. • Children with both autism and ADHD showed least healthy behaviours. • ADHD-only group most likely to engage in healthiest behaviours. • Profiles varied by activity, screen time, sleep, and diet. • Results support tailored, multi-behaviour health interventions.