Abstract

Objective     To map global evidence on eating behaviors and dietary patterns among adolescents and emerging adults with ADHD, with attention to executive function, medication-related appetite timing, and gender. Introduction     Adolescents and emerging adults with ADHD gain increasing autonomy over food choices during a developmental period marked by heightened executive-function demands and irregular routines. Research examining ADHD and diet is fragmented across disciplines and uses heterogeneous eating and dietary outcomes, limiting synthesis. Inclusion Criteria Studies were eligible if they included adolescents or emerging adults aged 12 to 25 years with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and reported at least one eating behavior, dietary pattern, appetite-related, or food-choice outcome. Peer-reviewed primary research published from 2014 through 2025 was included. Methods     A PRISMA-ScR-guided scoping review was conducted of peer-reviewed studies published from 2014-2025 involving participants aged 12 to 25 years with ADHD and reporting at least one eating behavior or dietary outcome. Five databases were searched. Records were screened at title/abstract and full-text levels. Data were extracted and synthesized narratively. Results     Fifteen studies met inclusion criteria. Frequently reported outcomes included binge eating, overeating, disordered eating behaviors, irregular meal timing, fast-food intake, and appetite dysregulation. ADHD was more consistently associated with irregular and disinhibited eating patterns than with poorer overall diet quality. Longitudinal evidence suggested that childhood ADHD symptoms predicted later disordered eating behaviors. Executive function and medication-related intake timing were infrequently measured directly, and sex/gender differences were inconsistently examined. Conclusions     Current evidence suggests that ADHD in adolescents and emerging adults is associated primarily with disinhibited eating behaviors rather than consistently poorer diet quality. Future research should prioritize standardized measurement of eating behaviors, direct assessment of executive function, characterization of medication-related intake patterns, and gender-specific analyses to inform targeted nutrition interventions.

Publication Date

4-29-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Dietetics and Nutrition (MS)

Department, Program, or Center

Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition

College

College of Health Sciences and Technology

Advisor

Nicole Trabold

Advisor/Committee Member

Barbara Lohse

Advisor/Committee Member

Jessamy Comer

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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