Review Article

Obesity and Headache/Migraine: The Importance of Weight Reduction through Lifestyle Modifications

Table 1

Characteristics and main results of studies concerning obesity and migraine.

ReferenceClinical study design . . (%)Age (average age or range)Characteristics of migraine or headache prevalence frequency and severity

Brown et al. [14]Cohort study1477910018–23Women in the highest BMI category were more likely to report headachesDeleterious effects of overweight also for headaches
Scher et al. [15]
 Pain 2003
Longitudinal study1932NA18–65Prevalence of CDH was higher in those with TBO > grade IIObesity and headache frequency were significantly associated with new onset CDH
Ohayon [16]Observational study1898051.315 years or olderThe prevalence of morning headaches was linked to BMIA higher prevalence of morning headaches in subjects with BMI less than 20 or >27 than in subjects with normal BMI
Prieto Peres et al. [4]
 Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2005
Case-control study748938.4 (14–69)Increased attacks of severe headache in obese compared with normal weight.
Increased prevalence of migraine in obese women than obese men
No correlation between frequency of migraine and obesity.
Severity: NA
Bigal et al. [9]
 Neurology 2006
Observational cohort study30.1256538.7No correlation between the prevalence of migraine and obesityPositive correlation between migraine frequency and obesity
Severity: NA
Keith et al. [17]
 Obesity 2006
Cross-sectional analysis220.37010016–94No correlation between the prevalence of migraine and obesityNA
Bigal et al. [18]
  Cephalalgia. 2006
Longitudinal study17679.544.4No correlation between the prevalence of migraine and obesityNo correlation between frequency/severity of migraine and obesity
Bigal et al. [10]
 Arch Intern Med. 2007
Observational cohort study162.576NA≥12NAPositive correlation between migraine frequency and obesity
 Severity: NA
Mattsson et al. [19]
 Cephalalgia 2007
Cross-sectional analysis68410040–74No correlation between the prevalence of migraine and obesityNo correlation between frequency/severity of migraine and obesity.
Pinhas-Hamiel et al. [7]
 Obesity 2008
Prospective cohort study2736113 (9–17)Increased headaches in overweight girls compared with normal weightPositive correlation between frequency of migraine and obesity.
 Severity: NA
Ford et al. [11]
 Cephalalgia. 2008
Cross-sectional analysis7.60148≥20Positive correlation between the prevalence of headache and obesityIncreased attacks of severe headache in overweight or obese when compared with normal weight.
Hershey et al. [5]
 Headache 2009
Large, multicenter, retrospective case9135911.9 (3–18)Increased attacks of severe headache in overweight or obese compared with normal weightPositive correlation between frequency/severity of migraine and obesity
Severity: NA
Peterlin et al. [12]
 Headache 2010
Cross-sectional analysis21.78351≥20Increased prevalence of migraine in subjects aged <55 with total or abdominal obesityNA
Kinik et al. [6]
  Cephalalgia 2010
Cross-sectional analysis1246212.9 (4–17)Increased attacks of severe headache in overweight or obese compared with normal weightPositive correlation between frequency/severity of migraine and obesity.
No correlation between severity of migraine and obesity.
Vo et al. [20]
 Headache. 2011
Cross-sectional study373310018–40Increased prevalence of migraine in patients with morbid obesityPositive correlation between migraine severity and obesity
Yu et al. [21] J Headache Pain 2012Cross-sectional analysis50415043.6Increased prevalence of migraine in patients with morbid obesityNo correlation between frequency/severity of migraine and obesity
Winter et al. [22]
  Cephalalgia 2012
Prospective cohort study1916210050No correlation between the prevalence of migraine and obesityNo correlation between frequency/severity of migraine and obesity