MENSTRUAL CYCLE PHASE AND HORMONAL EFFECTS ON EMOTIONAL EATING IN FEMALES WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Previous research has shown that cyclical fluctuations in ovarian hormones can predict changes in ADHD symptoms as well as eating behaviors, particularly emotional eating across the menstrual cycle. Previous studies have so far only examined the effects of estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4) and cycle phase in predicting individual symptoms or disorders such as ADHD or eating disorders or related behaviors separately. The aim of this study is to examine how emotional eating is influenced by naturally occurring hormonal and cycle changes in a sample overrecruited for ADHD. Seventy-eight individuals (assigned female at birth) with menstrual cycles overrecruited for ADHD provided saliva samples each morning and completed an ADHD symptom checklist and eating behavior checklist, including ratings of emotional eating daily in the evening for up to two menstrual cycles. Results indicated that emotional eating symptoms were higher in the early luteal and midluteal phase. Food cravings and increased appetite were also elevated during the early luteal phase. The luteal phase and midfollicular phase were found to be risky for several individual emotional eating symptoms. Increased appetite effects during the early luteal phase were particularly pronounced for the more highly impulsive individuals, a moderated effect. The findings of this study hold potential implications for the assessment and intervention of individuals with ADHD and emotional eating behaviors, suggesting that treatment for emotional eating patterns should be targeted to the luteal phase in individuals with ADHD.