Overeating isn’t an official symptom of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But it can result from ADHD symptoms like impulsivity, inattentiveness, emotional dysregulation, and executive dysfunction.
People with ADHD may eat too quickly, accidentally skip meals, or consume too much because they eat on autopilot. Chronic overeating can negatively impact a person’s mental and physical health.
Self-management strategies, like meal planning and mindful eating, can help you develop a healthier relationship with food. In addition, treating ADHD with therapy and medication can help prevent overeating.
Most people know what it’s like to get up from a meal feeling uncomfortably full. It usually happens when you consume more food than you intended to in a brief period of time. For example, it might happen on a holiday or when you’re eating something you really love. Overindulging once in a while isn’t necessarily cause for concern. However, if it happens often, it could negatively affect your health and well-being. Anyone can develop an unhealthy relationship with food. But people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [1] (ADHD) might be at greater risk. Research [2] shows a strong connection between overeating and ADHD, likely due to brain differences and challenges with executive functioning.
Having ADHD doesn’t mean you’ll automatically struggle to control your food intake. But learning more about the overlap between these experiences can help you build healthy eating habits and know when to reach out for help.
What overeating looks like in ADHD
ADHD and eating disorders, like binge eating disorder (BED), frequently go hand in hand. But you don't need an eating disorder diagnosis [1] to struggle with overeating.
Here are some examples of what overeating can look like in people with ADHD:
When you eat while trying to multitask, you might stop paying attention to how much you’re consuming. You look down to realize you’ve eaten several servings of food without meaning to.
Sometimes, when you have a bad day, you engage in emotional eating. Turning to food for comfort helps you feel better temporarily.
If you get hyperfocused on something, you tend to lose track of time. This might cause you to unintentionally skip meals. When you finally realize how hungry you are, you consume everything in sight.
You tend to eat fast, almost like you’re on autopilot. You don’t slow down enough to taste and savor your food.
If someone offers you food, you may not stop to consider whether you’re really hungry before accepting it. Instead, you just eat whatever is in front of you.
For you, food is highly rewarding. You overeat because of how good it makes you feel in the moment, and it’s been this way since you were a kid.
How can ADHD cause overeating?
Overeating isn’t an official symptom of ADHD. But we know that ADHD and overeating co-occur frequently for various reasons, including:
Brain differences: Research [3] shows that when a person with ADHD sees an image of food, their brain’s reward processing center “lights up” significantly. This might be, in part, why many people with ADHD experience overeating.
Executive dysfunction: Executive functioning [4] skills, like planning and delaying gratification, are challenging for many people with ADHD. This might make it harder to plan healthy meals or remember to eat, which could contribute to overeating.
Emotional dysregulation: Some people with ADHD have a hard time managing difficult emotions [5], like anger or sadness. So, in response, they may overeat as a way to numb or suppress those feelings.
Medication: Most ADHD medications are known to decrease appetite [6]. But there can be a “rebound” effect that may cause you to overeat when your medication begins to wear off.
The impacts of ADHD eating patterns
ADHD eating patterns can affect your physical and emotional well-being in several ways. For example, overeating may lead to uncomfortable fullness, low energy, feelings of guilt or frustration, and difficulty recognizing your body's hunger and fullness cues.
Over time, consistently eating more than your body needs may contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of obesity [7] by 70%. Research shows that people with ADHD have a higher risk of obesity than people without ADHD. Obesity can increase the risk of health conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes
ADHD eating patterns can also sometimes make it harder to get an accurate diagnosis. For example, without a thorough evaluation, ADHD could be mistaken for an eating disorder (or vice versa). This confusion could prevent a person from getting the right care for their needs.
Building healthy eating habits with ADHD
If you have ADHD and have a hard time controlling your food intake, know that it’s not because of weakness or some other shortcoming. It’s simply because of the unique way your brain is wired.
People with ADHD can learn to build healthier eating habits, and the following tips may help.
Get ADHD treatment. Many people find that getting help with their ADHD gives them more control over their eating. This might include therapy, medication, or a combination of both. There are also mental health professionals who specialize in ADHD and disordered eating.
Plan ahead. Instead of eating on autopilot or mindlessly, make time to plan meals and portion out your food. Taking these steps ahead of time can help you tune into your hunger cues so you can nourish your body more effectively.
Practice mindful eating. When you take a bite of food, pause to notice its texture, taste, and smell as you chew. Slowing down like this can allow you to enjoy your food more. It can also give your brain time to process how full or hungry you are so you can stop when you’re satisfied.
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I encourage clients to pause halfway through a meal and ask themselves two simple questions: ‘Am I still physically hungry?’ and ‘How full do I feel right now?’ That brief check-in can help shift eating from autopilot to a more mindful experience without asking someone to follow strict food rules.
Brandy Chalmers, LPC
Clinical reviewer
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People with ADHD may be more likely than others to experience overeating. This is likely due to ADHD symptoms like impulsivity, inattentiveness, and executive dysfunction. ADHD can also lead someone to use food for emotional comfort or make it harder to plan and prepare healthy meals.
Left untreated, chronic overeating can negatively affect a person’s mental and physical health. Fortunately, by accessing ADHD treatment, many people find that they’re better able to control their eating. This usually includes therapy and medication (if needed) along with self-management strategies, like mindful eating and meal planning.
At Rula, we’re here to help you feel better. Rula makes it easy to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who takes your insurance. That way, you don’t have to choose between great care and a price you can afford.
Rula patients pay about $15 per session with insurance, and 93% say they feel better after getting care through Rula. We have 21,000+ providers, and appointments are available as soon as tomorrow. We’re here to help you take the next step — wherever you are in your mental health journey.
References
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Are Associated with Overeating with and without Loss of Control in Youth with Overweight/Obesity https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5743031/
- Overlapping neurobehavioral circuits in ADHD, obesity, and binge eating: Evidence from Neuroimaging Research https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4560968/
- Brain Reward Response Linked to Binge Eating and ADHD https://chadd.org/adhd-news/adhd-news-adults/brain-reward-response-linked-to-binge-eating-and-adhd/
- Do executive functioning deficits underpin binge eating disorder? A comparison of overweight women with and without binge eating pathology https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4516709/
- Negative Affectivity and Emotion Dysregulation as Mediators between ADHD and Disordered Eating: A Systematic Review https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/11/3292
- ADHD Medication https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11766-adhd-medication
- Stressed! Grab a bite? Stress eating in adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Ecological Momentary Assessment study https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772408525001012
Liz Talago
Liz Talago, M.ed. is a mental health professional turned content writer and strategist based in the Detroit metro area. As an independent consultant for mental health organizations, Liz creates meaningful connections between brands and their audiences through strategic storytelling. Liz is known for championing diverse perspectives within the mental health industry and translating bold ideas into inspiring, affirming digital experiences.
In her free time, you can find her hiking with her two German Shepherds, puttering around her dahlia garden, or spending time with her family.
Brandy Chalmers, LPC
Having faced challenges like childhood abuse, neglect, and the loss of her father to suicide, Brandy Chalmers is deeply passionate about providing compassionate care. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and Registered Play Therapist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy.
Brandy also teaches at a university, sharing her expertise with future mental health professionals. With over a decade of experience in settings like inpatient care and private practice, she specializes in helping clients with perfectionism, trauma, personality disorders, eating disorders, and life changes.
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