Being seriously overweight can almost double your chances of suffering from migraines, a new study has found.
The research into migraines and obesity, led by Dr. Barbara Lee Peterlin at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, was presented at the 2013 International Headache Congress in Boston, MA at the end of June and published in a recent online edition of Neurology.
Researchers arrived at the conclusion after asking 3,862 participants to fill out a survey with information on their height, weight and frequency of migraine attacks. The average age of the participants was 47. Among the 3,862 people, 1,044 participants were obese, and 188 of the participants had occasional, or episodic, migraine, equivalent to 14 or fewer migraine headaches per month.
They found that obese people with a body mass index of 30 or higher are 81 percent more likely to suffer from episodic migraines compared to people who are a normal weight.
The research suggests that weight loss and exercise could help those who suffer from migraines. The findings also indicated the link between the condition and obesity is stronger in those under the age of 50.
They recommend weight loss combined with healthy eating to obese people suffering with migraines helps to fight and reduce the disorder.
So the good news is that dropping a few extra pounds can not only decrease the chances of suffering with migraines but you will also feel fit and healthy. A structured lifestyle with exercise has been known to also help migraine sufferers.
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