Childhood obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are obviously very different conditions, but could the two be linked?

At first thought, the idea may sound silly. However, scientific studies indicate there is an association between them. One recent study focused on the medications use to treat A-D-H-D as a possible partial cause.

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics examines the relationships between weight in children and stimulant medications. These types of medicines are sometimes prescribed to help children with the disorder.

Looking at long-term data on kids, one thing is obvious: Weight gain in kids with A-D-H-D or those who have taken stimulants is certainly a complicated matter. The data show that, at first, stimulants lead to lower body mass index in children than in their stimulant-free peers.

That changed, however, after stimulants were stopped. Eventually, kids with A-D-H-D who had taken stimulants and then stopped had higher average body mass index than other kids. This equaled a weight difference of seven pounds between kids who had taken stimulants and those that hadn’t. On a child or adolescent, this amount of excess weight can make a big difference.

Interestingly, the scientists also noted that kids with A-D-H-D who never took stimulants also had higher B-M-Is at the study’s end than children who did not have the disorder. Overall, though, kids with A-D-H-D who had a history of taking stimulants had the highest growth in body mass index of all children.

The reason for the different results between the groups is not clear. Still, some people will rightfully wonder about treating A-D-H-D with stimulants. If you have questions about your child’s medication, talk with your doctor. He or she can help you evaluate the benefits and downsides.