Introduction:

The body mass index is an indicator of body density, determined by the relationship between body weight and height. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a syndrome with three symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Objective:

To analyze the relationship between the body mass index and the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in students.

Methods:

Observational, cross-sectional, bivariate and ambispective analytical research, carried out in a population of 111 girls and 125 boys, from 10 to 12 years of the Hispanic American Education Unit of the city of Ambato, Ecuador, in the period September 2017 - February 2018. Processing data in Microsoft Excel for body mass index and for the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and with Minitab® 18.1 software for the calculation of coefficients of Pearson and Spearman correlation, as well as the normality tests and analysis of outliers with the Grubbs test.

Results:

The average for body mass index was 20.15 in boys and 20.63 in girls, considered normal. Normal results were obtained in the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 93.7% of girls and 90.4% of boys, there being a slight predisposition for this disorder. The correlation between both variables was slightly positive: girls 0.202 and boys 0.457.

Conclusions:

Both, body mass index and the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have normal parameters in girls and boys, with a weak positive correlation between them. It was proposed to establish educational strategies for the reduction of obesity and child malnutrition.

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