Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in severely obese women

Objective: Past and current symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were assessed in a clinical sample of severely obese females. Method: Core symptoms of ADHD were examined in 75 consecutive, severely obese (BMI ≥35) women referred to a medical specialist for the non-surgical treatment of obesity. Subjects completed both a retrospective report of childhood symptoms of ADHD (Wender Utah Scale) and two standardized adult ADHD symptom scales. Results: The frequency of clinically suggestive elevations in ADHD scores was substantially and significantly higher than the normative samples in 9 out of 11 symptom subscales. Inattentive symptoms, but not hyperactive symptoms of ADHD, were frequently reported. Overall, 26.7% of the sample reported significant symptoms of ADHD in both childhood and adulthood. Conclusions: This preliminary study suggests that severely obese women report significant symptomatology related to both childhood and adult ADHD. ©2005, Editrice Kurtis.