It's become apparent to me that a majority of my ADHD clients, friends, and family, as well as myself, have issues with their relationship with food. This isn’t always the same issue, but could involve over- or under-eating, co-existing conditions such as anorexia, bulimia, or ARFID (avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder), obsessional behaviours or rules around choices, and much more.
Studies suggest that clients with eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder, are 3-34% more likely to have ADHD (Soutullo Esperon and Bapatope, 2022); and that individuals diagnosed with ADHD are four times more likely to become obese in their lifetime (ADDitude, 2022).
Russell Barkley explains to us in Taking Charge of ADHD that adults with ADHD generally have a shorter life expectancy due to high cholesterol, substance use, and BMI (2022), which again suggests that those with ADHD struggle to balance their diet.
So why is this? There are many reasons why a healthy diet and lifestyle can be difficult to achieve with ADHD, including:
- Lower than average dopamine and reward-seeking
- Boredom and depression
- Low energy levels, which can feel like sugar cravings
- Poor organisation in planning and preparing meals
- Time blindness
- For some, being hypersensitive can affect how we tolerate taste and texture.
These are just some of the reasons achieving a healthy diet can be challenging for someone with ADHD, and not only does this impact physical health, but it also affects mood, self-esteem, and motivation.
So, what can be helpful in achieving a healthy diet if you have ADHD?
Some tips that some of my clients have found helpful:
- Having a water bottle with measurements to remind you to drink
- Setting aside time once a week to do an online weekly shop so you have food readily available
- Asking those close to you to help with planning and support your plan
- Carrying some high-energy snacks with you so you have a choice of what to eat if time escapes you
- Batch cooking or cooking in the morning when energy levels are higher
- Increasing protein and healthy fats to help satisfy hunger
- Getting specialist support via a nutritionist or therapist when eating feels out of control
- Having small, achievable goals that are incremental
- Trying new things
While there are guidelines, eating and food lifestyles are truly individual. Focusing on your culture, family, preferences, and desires for health and living really factors into your food goals — why not explore what food means to you?
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