Story perspectives

Maternal body fat linked to toddler ADHD via inflammation

8/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

Higher maternal body-fat percentage during pregnancy increased gestational inflammation, which predicted higher ADHD symptom scores in two-year-old children.
Mediation analysis showed the body-fat effect on toddler ADHD operated only through inflammation, with no significant direct link.
Maternal psychological distress directly predicted greater toddler ADHD symptoms, while the observational study of 297 women (average body-fat 34 %) could not establish causation.

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Story summary

Higher maternal body-fat percentage during pregnancy increased gestational inflammation, which predicted higher ADHD symptom scores in two-year-old children.
Mediation analysis showed the body-fat effect on toddler ADHD operated only through inflammation, with no significant direct link.
Maternal psychological distress directly predicted greater toddler ADHD symptoms, while the observational study of 297 women (average body-fat 34 %) could not establish causation.