This study aims to investigate the association between the MIND index (Mediterranean- Dietary approaches to Stop Hypertension diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Iranian children. It builds upon existing research that highlights the role of dietary antioxidants in alleviating psychological disorders, cognitive impairments, and memory deficits. Additionally, previous studies have separately explored the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean and DASH diets on these issues. A case-control study was undertaken in Iran, involving a sample of 360 children and adolescents aged 7-13 years. Participants were divided into two groups, namely the case group (n = 120) and the control group (n = 240), with age and sex being matched between the groups. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TR) was employed for the diagnosis of ADHD. The MIND diet score was computed using the food intake data acquired from the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) completed by the subjects. The mean ± SD for the age and BMI of the study population was 8.76 ± 1.64 years and 16.90 ± 3.58 kg/m2, respectively. The mean score of MIND in this study was 27.93. After adjustment for potential confounder in the final model, subjects in highest compared to the lowest quartile of MIND diet score had significantly lower odds of ADHD (OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.83; P-trend = 0.019). This study provides valuable evidence suggesting that adherence to the MIND diet is associated with decreased odds of ADHD.
Keywords: ADHD; DASH; MIND; Mediterranean diet; child.