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• Posted January 23, 2026

Childhood ADHD Linked To Health Problems In Middle Age

Childhood ADHD can set a person up to have poor health in middle age, a new study says.

People with ADHD traits at age 10 are likely to have chronic illness and disability at age 46, researchers reported Jan. 21 in JAMA Network Open.

The study said these health problems can include asthma, migraines, back problems, cancer, epilepsy, hearing problems, GI disorders, kidney disease and diabetes.

“We have added to the concerning evidence base that people with ADHD are more likely to experience worse health than average across their lifespan,” said lead researcher Joshua Stott, a professor of aging and clinical psychology at University College London in the U.K.

“People with ADHD can thrive with the right support, but this is often lacking, both due to a shortage of tailored support services but also because ADHD remains underdiagnosed, particularly in people in midlife and older, with needs unaddressed,” Stott said in a news release.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 11,000 participants in a long-term British health research project that began in 1970.

The team estimated childhood ADHD based on child behavior questionnaires filled out by participants’ parents and teachers when they were 10 years old. 

They then tracked each person’s health to see if early ADHD traits were linked to later risk of illness.

People with high ADHD scores as kids had 14% higher odds of two or more physical health problems as adults, results showed.

Overall, 42% of those with high childhood ADHD scores wound up with two or more health problems in middle age, compared to 37% of people with lower scores.

Childhood ADHD was also linked to a higher risk of disability in middle age — having problems with work or other daily activities due to poor physical health.

The link between childhood ADHD and midlife chronic health problems appeared to be stronger among women than men, researchers found.

These poorer health outcomes were partially explained by increased mental health problems, higher levels of excess weight and higher smoking rates among people with ADHD, researchers said.

Previous studies also have found that people with ADHD are more likely to experience stressful life events and social exclusion. They also are less likely to get timely medical care.

“All of these potential explanatory factors align with the fact that ADHD makes impulse control more difficult, the need for instant gratification and reward more intense, and is also associated with worse mental health in part due to the social disadvantage people with ADHD face,” Stott said.

Senior researcher Amber John, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Liverpool, began the study while at UCL.

“It’s important to note that people with ADHD are a diverse group, with a range of different strengths and experiences, and most will lead long, healthy lives,” she said in a news release.

“However, many face significant barriers to timely diagnosis and appropriate support,” John added. “This is important because providing the right support for and meeting the needs of people with ADHD can help to improve their physical and mental health outcomes.”

She urged government health authorities to keep folks with ADHD in mind.

“Public health strategies should consider the needs of people with ADHD, such as by making screening programs and ongoing health monitoring more accessible for people with ADHD,” John said.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on ADHD.

SOURCE: University College London, news release, Jan. 21, 2026