Association between Cardiovascular Health Score of Life’s Essential 8 and Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children

Objective To explore the relationship between the cardiovascular health score of life essential 8 and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.Methods A stratified cluster random sampling technique was used to select 2 622 children aged 6 to 12 years from five primary schools in Guangzhou for a questionnaire survey and physical examination. The cardiovascular health of Chinese school-aged children was evaluated using the American Heart Association’s "Life’s essential 8" metrics, which assess health behaviors including diet, physical activity, tobacco exposure, and sleep health, as well as health outcomes including body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure. The Conner’s Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ) was utilized to assess symptoms of ADHD. T-tests and F-tests were applied to compare the differences in scores of LE8 among different ages, genders, family income, parental education levels, and whether the child was an only child; multiple linear regression was used to analyze the correlation between LE8 scores and ADHD symptoms.Results The average score of LE8 for children aged 6 to 12 in Guangzhou was 76.10 ± 9.04. The score for children aged 6 to 8 was higher (76.86 ± 8.68) as was the proportion of children with good cardiovascular health (41.28%), compared to those aged 9 to 12 (75.50 ± 9.26 and 34.63%, respectively) (χ2= 16.27, P < 0.001). The multiple linear regression analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between LE8 and ADHD.Conclusion The study indicates a negative correlation between LE8 and ADHD in children aged 6 to 12 in Guangzhou. The promotion of a healthy lifestyle is advocated to enhance cardiovascular health levels and reduce the risk of developing ADHD.