Issue Date: January 18, 2009
Migraines and weight
Too heavy or too light may mean more migraines.
Recent research from the Centers for Disease Control and "Prevention" suggests that migraine headaches may be associated with another significant factor affecting our nation's health -- weight.
Researchers used data collected from 7,601 adult men and women who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2002. One task of this study group has been to assess health problems associated with weight. To study the link between weight and migraine headaches, they categorized people based on body mass index (BMI), a formula used to determine whether a person's weight falls in a healthy range.
The researchers found that those who fell at either extreme of the weight spectrum were more likely to get severe migraines compared with those at a normal weight. The weight categories associated with a higher prevalence of headaches were a BMI under 18.5 or a BMI over 30 (to find out your BMI number, visit nhlbisupport.com/bmi).
This study, published in the December 2008 issue of "Cephalalgia," provides one more reason for us all to work on maintaining an appropriate weight. In addition to improving your general health, you also may improve your migraines.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., president and CEO of Dallas' Cooper Clinic, writes HealthSmart every week.
Want to know more about migraine headache causes? Click here.
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