Big waistlines linked to migraine

Overweight and obese people have a significantly higher risk of experiencing migraine headaches, according to a new study.

About 37% of women aged 20 to 55 who had excess fat around the belly reported experiencing migraines, compared to 29% of those without excess belly fat.

Meanwhile, one fifth of abdominally obese men of the same age reported migraine, compared to 16% of those with a normal waist measurement.

After the age of 55, however, total body obesity was not associated with migraine in men or women.

For the study, waist circumference was measured, as well as total body obesity, in more than 22,000 people. The participants were asked to report whether they suffered from either migraine or severe headaches.

The US researchers found that age, gender, and the way that body fat is distributed affected the risk of migraine. Those who were 20 to 55 years of age and who had larger waistlines were more likely to suffer from migraines than people of the same age who had smaller waistlines.

“These results, while still in the early stages, suggest that losing weight in the stomach area may be beneficial for younger people who experience migraine and especially so for women,” said study author B Lee Peterlin of Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.

The researchers noted that men and women have body tissue distributed in different ways. After puberty women show more fatty tissue deposits in the hip and thigh area while men predominantly have more fatty tissue in the belly region. After menopause, women show more fatty tissue in the belly area as well.

For some diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, excess fat around the waistline appears to be a stronger risk factor than total body obesity, the researchers added.

The results of the study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle in April.

[Posted: Sun 15/02/2009]