If you are underweight or, on the contrary, overweight, you are at greater risk of suffering from migraines , according to research carried out by experts from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (USA). ).
The experts carried out a meta-analysis of all available published scientific studies on body mass index (BMI) and migraine; in total they examined 12 studies with almost 289,000 participants.
“Because obesity and underweight are potentially modifiable risk factors for migraine, awareness of these risk factors is vital for both people with migraine headaches and clinicians,” explains B. Lee Peterlin, leader of the work .
Obesity was defined as a BMI of 30 or higher and underweight was defined as a BMI of less than 18.5. Analyzing all the data, the researchers found that obese people were 27% more likely to have migraines than normal-weight people, and underweight people had a 13% increased risk. However, this does not mean that being underweight or overweight causes migraines:
“ It is not clear how body composition can affect migraines . Adipose tissue, or fat tissue, secretes a wide range of molecules that could play a key role in the development or triggering of migraine. Other factors are also possible how changes in physical activity, medications or other conditions such as depression play a role in the relationship between migraine headaches and body composition, “explains Peterlin.
According to Peterlin, age and sex were important variables in the relationship between body mass index and migraine. “This makes sense, since the risk of obesity and the risk of migraine is different in women and men and in young and old people .”
Migraine is one of the most common headache disorders. It usually begins at puberty and affects women much more than men due to hormonal influences. The pain that accompanies a migraine is often one-sided, throbbing, and lasts for hours, or even days, according to data from the World Health Organization.
The study has been published in the journal Neurology.
