Child Obesity and Migraines: Is There a Link
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Defined Tag: Migraine Headache.

Child Obesity and Migraines: Is There a Link?

Do people who are overweight or obese tend to suffer from migraines more often than people of a "normal" weight? Some researchers have found that this is true. While obesity in itself does not cause migraines, there may be a link that means being obese increases the chances of experiencing more severe migraines.

One study in particular, done by Dr. Andrew D. Hershey, MD., PhD, recently looked into this idea, focusing on whether this link between migraines and obesity also applied to teenagers and children. In order to learn about this, the scientists and doctors started with a group of 440 children between the ages of three and eighteen who all suffered from migraines.

So what did the studies find? One result showed that the obese children experienced an average of eleven migraine attacks each month, which kept them from participating in school and leisure activities. This is many more attacks per month than the non-overweight children, who on average only had two migraine per month. The study also found that children with a BMI or Body Mass Index of 36% or more were more likely to suffer from migraines in the first place than thinner children.

Does this link between migraines and obesity mean that obesity causes migraines? Not necessarily. Dr. Hershey says that it may be like the question of "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" It is possible that suffering from that many migraines may cause a child to gain weight, for example, as the migraines often keep them from participating in sports and other activities.

Overweight and obese children also suffer a lot of stress due to their weight. Children can be cruel, and. may tease or bully children who are heavier than the rest. Stress is a known migraine trigger in people of all ages, so this may be a factor in the link between obesity and migraines. It is also possible that the statistics about how often obese children have migraines may be skewed, as children sometimes may lie about having migraines if they are worried about being teased at school and want to stay home.

The study will continue in more stages. Dr. Hershey wants to find out whether overweight children who have a lot of migraines will have fewer attacks if they lose weight, which will help to narrow down the causes and connections of migraines and obesity. Like any overweight individuals, migraine sufferers of all ages will find they may feel much better overall if they eat a healthy diet, get enough regular exercise and get enough sleep each night.

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