Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often treated with medications; however, new research suggests that parents can also help their kids by promoting healthy habits. Researchers looked at 184 children with ADHD and 104 without the condition and found that those with ADHD were less likely to follow healthy behaviors recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Sleep Foundation, and the United States Department of Agriculture such as: limiting screen time to less than two hours a day, engaging in physical activity for at least one hour per day, limiting sugary beverage intake, obtaining nine to eleven hours of sleep a night, and drinking seven to ten cups of water daily. Study author Dr. Kathleen Holton adds, “Many parents of children diagnosed with ADHD do not want their children on medication. Having their children follow healthy lifestyle behaviors may be an effective intervention, either alongside or in the place of traditional ADHD medications.”
Journal of Attention Disorders, May 2016