Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children
Abstract Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Genetic, family history, nutritional, lifestyle, and inflammatory factors are considered as contributing factors of ADHD. The dietary inflamm...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08919-x |
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| author | Fatemeh Navab Khadijeh Abbasi Hajar Heidari Reza Ghiasvand Cain C. T. Clark Mohammad Bagherniya Shirin Hassanizadeh Mohammad Hossein Rouhani |
| author_facet | Fatemeh Navab Khadijeh Abbasi Hajar Heidari Reza Ghiasvand Cain C. T. Clark Mohammad Bagherniya Shirin Hassanizadeh Mohammad Hossein Rouhani |
| author_sort | Fatemeh Navab |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Genetic, family history, nutritional, lifestyle, and inflammatory factors are considered as contributing factors of ADHD. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) could be used to determine whether a diet has an inflammatory potential. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out if DII scores and ADHD were related. This study included 500 Iranian children aged 4–12 (200 ADHD cases and 300 healthy controls). Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) consisting of 168 items were used to determine dietary intake. DII scores were calculated using data from D-FFQ. Energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) scores were calculated using standardized z-scores for each food item, following established protocols. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) assessed energy-adjusted dietary intake across DII tertiles. Multivariable logistic regression estimated ADHD odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) through two hierarchical models: Model 1 (adjusted for age, gender, income) and Model 2 (Model 1 + BMI). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, with analyses performed in SPSS version 21. Overall, 200 ADHD and 300 healthy children participated in this study. Energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) was directly associated with ADHD risk in the crude model (OR = 1.104; 95% CI: 1.009, 1.208; p = 0.031). This result also remained significant in Model 1 (OR = 1.162; 95% CI: 1.050, 1.285; p = 0.004) and Model 2 (OR = 1.133; 95% CI: 1.021, 1.258; p = 0.019). We found that E-DII had a significant association with the risk of ADHD in Iranian children. Limitations include the case-control design, which precludes causal inference, and potential residual confounding from unmeasured factors. It will be necessary to conduct further studies to confirm these findings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ebdf08c60e3430eaf3a622f79a0f20e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ebdf08c60e3430eaf3a622f79a0f20e2025-08-24T11:23:28ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-011511810.1038/s41598-025-08919-xAssociations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childrenFatemeh Navab0Khadijeh Abbasi1Hajar Heidari2Reza Ghiasvand3Cain C. T. Clark4Mohammad Bagherniya5Shirin Hassanizadeh6Mohammad Hossein Rouhani7Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesNutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesNutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesNutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesCentre for Intelligent Healthcare, Coventry UniversityNutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesNutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesNutrition and Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesAbstract Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Genetic, family history, nutritional, lifestyle, and inflammatory factors are considered as contributing factors of ADHD. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) could be used to determine whether a diet has an inflammatory potential. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out if DII scores and ADHD were related. This study included 500 Iranian children aged 4–12 (200 ADHD cases and 300 healthy controls). Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) consisting of 168 items were used to determine dietary intake. DII scores were calculated using data from D-FFQ. Energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) scores were calculated using standardized z-scores for each food item, following established protocols. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) assessed energy-adjusted dietary intake across DII tertiles. Multivariable logistic regression estimated ADHD odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) through two hierarchical models: Model 1 (adjusted for age, gender, income) and Model 2 (Model 1 + BMI). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, with analyses performed in SPSS version 21. Overall, 200 ADHD and 300 healthy children participated in this study. Energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) was directly associated with ADHD risk in the crude model (OR = 1.104; 95% CI: 1.009, 1.208; p = 0.031). This result also remained significant in Model 1 (OR = 1.162; 95% CI: 1.050, 1.285; p = 0.004) and Model 2 (OR = 1.133; 95% CI: 1.021, 1.258; p = 0.019). We found that E-DII had a significant association with the risk of ADHD in Iranian children. Limitations include the case-control design, which precludes causal inference, and potential residual confounding from unmeasured factors. It will be necessary to conduct further studies to confirm these findings.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08919-xDietary inflammatory index (DII)Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disordersFifth edition (DSM-V)Children |
| spellingShingle | Fatemeh Navab Khadijeh Abbasi Hajar Heidari Reza Ghiasvand Cain C. T. Clark Mohammad Bagherniya Shirin Hassanizadeh Mohammad Hossein Rouhani Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children Scientific Reports Dietary inflammatory index (DII) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders Fifth edition (DSM-V) Children |
| title | Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children |
| title_full | Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children |
| title_fullStr | Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children |
| title_short | Associations between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children |
| title_sort | associations between dietary inflammatory index dii scores and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adhd in children |
| topic | Dietary inflammatory index (DII) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders Fifth edition (DSM-V) Children |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08919-x |
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