Migraine Linked To Overweight In Children

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Main Category: Headache / Migraine
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 22 Jun 2006 - 9:00 PDT

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A new study has found a link between obesity/overweight in children and migraines. A child who suffers from migraines is also 36% more likely to be obese or overweight, say researchers at the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Conn, USA. Several studies in the past have identified a link between migraine and overweight in adults, this is the first one to show an association in children.

Dr. Andrew D. Hershey, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said "The numbers tell us that being overweight may contribute to kids having more headaches, most often migraines. There are likely a number of causes, including poorer general health, body stress, lack of exercise and nutrition. It may not be that being overweight directly causes migraine, but that the reasons for being overweight cause these children to have worsening headaches."

The scientists looked at 440 children, of which 91% suffered from migraines, about 9% suffered from non-migraine headaches. 21% of the children who suffered from migraine or regular headaches were overweight/obese. This compares to a national average of 15.5% of kids who are obese/overweight.

The researchers also found that the more overweight the child migraine sufferer was, the more severe his/her headaches seemed to be.

Dr. Marcelo Biagal, study author, said obesity is a state of chronic, low-degree systemic inflammation. "Most of the inflammatory markers that are elevated in obese people also play a role in the inflammation of blood vessels in the brain that occurs during migraine attacks. Being a pro-inflammatory state, obesity may increase the chances of migraine attacks in people who are biologically predisposed to suffer from migraines."

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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