A connection between ADHD and obesity isn’t always genetic.
A surprising link can contribute to obesity in ADHD’ers and here’s how to remedy that.
A study from researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering and Italy’s Istituto Superiore di Sanità offers intriguing evidence that ADHD contributes to obesity not only through biological pathways, but also indirectly by limiting physical activity.
The findings, published in PLOS Complex Systems (2025), suggest that city environments play a major part in influencing unwanted weight gain in those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Big City and Body Weight in Those with ADHD
The research team used a mathematical model known as urban scaling, which looks at how city features shift as populations grow.
They analyzed public health data from 915 U.S. cities and found that both ADHD and obesity occur less frequently per person in larger cities.
Interestingly, as cities grow, access to mental health services and levels of college education increase at a faster pace than does the population.
This means that large cities may not just have more services — but are often better equipped to handle conditions related to impulsive behavior.
However, the overall size of a city doesn’t provide the full picture.
To see which cities were performing better or worse than expected based on size alone, the researchers used a tool called scale-adjusted metropolitan indicators (SAMIs).
SAMIs compare actual outcomes with those predicted by urban scaling laws, revealing cities that are outperforming or underperforming on key measures like obesity rates or access to mental health care.
Maurizio Porfiri, a lead researcher on the study, explains in the report that this approach helps avoid common mistakes in public health research.
In other words, you must first adjust for the natural effects of a city’s size. Otherwise a researcher could end up blaming the wrong causes.
By removing the influence of population size, the research team could more clearly identify which factors were truly influencing obesity.
This method allowed the team to explore how city environments change the relationship between ADHD and obesity.
The results showed that higher rates of ADHD were linked to more physical inactivity, which in turn contributed to obesity.
But access to mental health care reduced inactivity levels, which helped lower obesity risk.
Areas with more college educated residents tended to have better access to mental health services and also reported higher levels of physical activity.
These connections formed a larger chain of relationships, where impulsivity, daily behavior and city infrastructure all worked together to influence health outcomes.
Cities didn’t all follow the same pattern, though.
When the researchers looked at regional data, they found that Southeastern and Southwestern cities often had greater imbalances.
In some cases, neighboring cities showed significant differences in obesity rates, ADHD prevalence and access to resources like mental health care and nutritious food.
This points to the influence of local policies, social norms and community-level support.
Porfiri notes that looking only at regional or national averages can hide the variation that exists between cities.
SAMIs, by contrast, allowed them to see which locations were outperforming or lagging behind.
It’s about how a city uses its resources rather than just about the number of people in that city.
On an Individual Level
To confirm their findings with individual-level data, the researchers examined information from the National Survey of Children’s Health, which included responses from more than 19,000 kids across the U.S.
The patterns held true: Kids with more severe ADHD were more likely to be obese, particularly when their physical activity was low and the educational level in their households was limited.
The study suggests that changes in how cities are structured and the types of services they provide could influence public health in meaningful ways — especially for those who have ADHD.
Combating Obesity in ADHD: Martial Arts
Shutterstock/Fotokvadrat
Martial arts can be a valuable tool for managing weight in kids and adults with ADHD, thanks to its structured routines, emphasis on self-discipline and physical intensity.
ADHD’ers often struggle with impulse control and executive functioning, which can affect their ability to maintain consistent physical activity or follow nutritional routines.
Martial arts provides a controlled environment that helps channel impulsive energy into focused movement, promoting both mental and physical regulation.
A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care (2016) found that kids with ADHD who participated in structured physical activities like karate or taekwondo showed improved behavioral regulation and higher levels of sustained physical engagement.
This increased activity helps counteract the sedentary lifestyle that often contributes to weight gain in those with ADHD.
A 2015 study in the Journal of Attention Disorders noted that adults with ADHD engaging in high-intensity martial arts training reported not only improvements in attention and mood but also better weight control due to regular exercise and improved dietary awareness.
Martial arts like karate and jiu-jitsu also promote mindfulness, which may help ADHD’ers slow down and become more aware of hunger and satiety cues, reducing impulsive eating.
Another Way to Fight Obesity: Strength Training
For adults or even teens with ADHD, strength training is a superb way to lose unwanted fat, improve focus and encourage healthier eating habits.
Plus, lifting weights is something that a person who’s a hundred pounds overweight can do as easily as someone of normal body weight.
Working out with weights is a very effective component of an overall weight loss program.
If you can’t afford a gym membership, you can get started by purchasing basic strength training tools online.
You don’t need an entire gym to build lean, fat burning muscle.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness, where she was also a group fitness instructor, she trained clients of all ages and abilities for fat loss and maintaining it, muscle and strength building, fitness, and improved cardiovascular and overall health.
.
