New research suggests that children with stronger ADHD traits may have a higher risk of physical health problems, disability, and multiple long-term health conditions later in adulthood.
At the same time, another study suggests that certain types of exercise, especially mind-body activities such as yoga and tai chi, may support mental health in young people with ADHD.
Childhood ADHD Traits and Health in Midlife
A large study published in JAMA followed 10,930 people over several decades.
Researchers found that adults who had more severe ADHD traits by age 10 had more physical health problems and greater physical health-related disability by age 46 compared with people who had fewer ADHD traits during childhood.
Among people with higher childhood ADHD traits, 42.1% developed multimorbidity by age 46. Multimorbidity means having two or more physical health conditions at the same time.
In comparison, 37.5% of people with fewer childhood ADHD traits developed multimorbidity.
The study also found that the connection between childhood ADHD traits and physical health-related disability appeared to be stronger in women than in men.
Other Health Risk Factors May Also Play a Role
Researchers found that several health and lifestyle factors may partly explain the connection between ADHD traits and poorer physical health later in life.
These factors included:
- Smoking
- Alcohol use
- Psychological distress
- Lower educational attainment
- Higher body mass index (BMI)
However, even after considering these factors, ADHD traits were still significantly linked with physical health problems and disability.
The researchers said healthcare professionals should be aware that people with ADHD may have a higher risk of physical health problems.
They also suggested that treatment and support should not focus only on ADHD symptoms. It may be helpful to address mental health, physical health, and important health risk factors together.
The JAMA study used information from the 1970 British Cohort Study, which followed people born in England, Scotland, and Wales during the same week in 1970. Health information was collected over a period of 46 years.
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ADHD May Also Be Linked With Shorter Life Expectancy
Poorly treated physical health problems and other co-occurring conditions may contribute to a shorter life expectancy in people with ADHD.
A January 2025 study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry compared people diagnosed with ADHD with people without ADHD.
The study estimated that:
- Women with diagnosed ADHD had a life expectancy about 8.6 years shorter than women without ADHD.
- Men with diagnosed ADHD had a life expectancy about 6.8 years shorter than men without ADHD.
The researchers suggested that this difference may be related to factors that could potentially be improved, including health risks and unmet needs for ADHD treatment, mental healthcare, and physical healthcare.
Exercise May Support Mental Health in People With ADHD
Exercise may be a helpful part of ADHD management for some people.
A 2023 survey of around 11,000 ADDitude readers found that many people reported positive effects from regular physical activity.
Around half of the people who exercised regularly rated exercise as an “extremely” or “very” effective ADHD support.
The survey also found that:
- 94% of caregivers recommended exercise for ADHD symptoms.
- 95% of adults recommended exercise for ADHD symptoms.
- Only 13% said a doctor had recommended exercise to help reduce symptoms.
- Only 37% said physical activity was included in their treatment plan.
Some adults reported that regular exercise helped them maintain better eating habits, focus, energy, mental clarity, relationships, and productivity.
Parents also reported improvements in mood after physical activity in some children.
However, these survey responses are based on personal experiences and should not be treated as the same level of evidence as controlled clinical research.
What Does Recent Research Say About Exercise?
A newer meta-analysis reviewed 18 studies looking at exercise and mental health in people with ADHD.
The researchers studied exercise as an additional support alongside treatments such as:
- Medication
- Behavioral therapy
- Psychoeducation
Overall, exercise interventions were linked with small-to-moderate improvements in:
- Depression symptoms
- Anxiety
- Emotional regulation
Yoga and Tai Chi May Have Additional Benefits
The analysis found that mind-body exercises, such as yoga and tai chi, significantly improved both depression and anxiety symptoms.
In comparison, physical exercise without a mindfulness component, such as structured fitness activities or sports, did not show significant improvements across all of the mental health outcomes studied.
Researchers suggested that mind-body activities may provide additional benefits because they combine movement with:
- Breath awareness
- Focused attention
- Awareness of the present moment
- Acceptance and emotional control
These skills may support areas that can be challenging for people with ADHD, including attention and emotional regulation.
Adolescents May Benefit More Than Younger Children
The analysis found that adolescents with anxiety showed the greatest improvement from mind-body exercise.
Children also showed moderate improvements, but the results were not statistically significant.
Researchers suggested that age and development may help explain this difference.
Teenagers may be better able to understand and use the breathing, attention, and mindfulness parts of these exercises.
Younger children may respond better when movement activities are more playful, engaging, or game-based.
Moderate-Intensity Exercise May Be Helpful for Depression
The strongest statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms was seen with moderate-intensity exercise.
Low-intensity and high-intensity exercise did not show measurable benefits for depression, anxiety, or emotional regulation in this analysis.
The exercise programs included in the studies varied greatly. Some involved only one session, while others continued for as long as 20 weeks.
Researchers did not find a clear difference based on how long the programs lasted.
However, even a single exercise session was sometimes linked with an immediate, short-term reduction in anxiety.
For longer-lasting benefits, regular and continued participation may be necessary.
More Research Is Still Needed
The researchers stressed that these findings should not yet be treated as final clinical guidance.
The studies included different types of exercise, different program lengths, and different research methods.
Because of these differences, the findings should be interpreted carefully.
The researchers said that more high-quality studies are needed before clear recommendations can be made about the best type, intensity, or duration of exercise for people with ADHD.
What Parents and Therapists Can Take From This Research
The studies suggest that ADHD may be connected with health needs that continue beyond childhood.
For parents, therapists, and healthcare professionals, this highlights the importance of looking at the whole person rather than focusing only on attention or hyperactivity symptoms.
Supporting healthy movement, emotional wellbeing, physical health, and positive lifestyle habits from an early age may be helpful.
However, exercise should be considered a supportive part of care and not a replacement for medical assessment, ADHD treatment, medication, behavioral therapy, or other professional support when these are needed.
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Source: ADHD Traits
