My Child Has ADHD and Has Gained Weight. How Can I Support Them?
If your child has ADHD and has gained weight, you may be wondering how to help them. This article aims to clarify how ADHD can impact weight, and what you can do to support your child’s health.
This post is part of our Ask a Child Psychologist series, where we answer anonymized questions submitted by readers like you. This post deals with topics related to ADHD and weight challenges. Please take care when reading.
When children gain weight, it can be a cause for concern about their health. Sometimes, mental health challenges can make it more difficult for kids to maintain a healthy weight. In this article, we’ll answer a few questions we’ve received about how attention and focus concerns, including ADHD, can impact your child’s weight.
You’ll learn:
About child weight gain during the pandemic.
How ADHD can impact your child’s weight.
Other factors to consider that may be impacting your child’s weight.
How to help your child manage their weight.
A note about child weight gain during the pandemic
It can be incredibly concerning when our children’s bodies change without a clear explanation. That said, many children experienced weight gain during the pandemic, likely due to reduced physical activity, more time spent indoors doing sedentary activities (like screen time), and potentially even dietary changes related to boredom and stress. You’re not alone in navigating this challenge!
How ADHD can impact your child’s weight
In normal circumstances, children with ADHD are already at higher risk for becoming overweight due to the impact of their impulsivity on lifestyle factors, like food choices and exercise. Recent research suggests that children living with ADHD are about 4 times as likely as their peers to become obese.
The truth is, the same things that may make it difficult for your child to focus and control their impulses make it difficult for them to implement new routines around eating and exercise.
During the pandemic, these factors may have combined with the changes we all experienced to make it more likely for kids to gain weight.
Other factors that may impact your child’s weight.
Other factors, like thyroid challenges, can cause children to gain weight. It can be helpful to advocate for your child by bringing your concerns to his pediatrician and requesting some tests for possible health problems that may be contributing to recent weight gain.
How to help your child manage their weight
We always recommend following the advice of your child’s doctor when it comes to physical health, and we encourage you to continue to advocate if something does not seem right. Here, we can offer some behavioral strategies to support your child with weight loss:
Be a good model. If your kid’s doctor has recommended some changes in diet and/or exercise, your child will be most likely to be successful if you and other family members join in making these changes. That way, your child will not feel singled out, and you can provide support and encouragement for each other.
Make small changes at first. You can get started by making a healthier dinner or adding a 15-minute family walk in the evenings. When you focus on making one small change at a time, these changes feel more doable and less overwhelming.
Consider providing rewards for your child trying/attempting to go for a walk or eat healthier. Ideally, progress will be measured based on your child’s behavior, rather than actual weight loss. Also, rewards should not be food-related. For example, you might consider offering your child the opportunity to choose a movie for family night when they complete at least 2 days of exercise in a week.
These are just a few tips to get you started. Please reach out to your pediatrician for additional recommendations if your child continues to experience difficulties with weight management. Remember, slow and steady progress is best!
Little Otter is also available in select states for ADHD evaluation, treatment, and support.
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