Both migraine and obesity are prevalent disorders in the general population, which are characterized by disability and impaired quality of life. Although so many researches had studied the association between migraine and obesity, there are still no full knowledge of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and migraine, especially chronic migraine (CM). In this study, we analyzed a previous epidemiological survey data of primary headache patients in Chongqing, which surveyed consecutive neurological outpatients through face-to-face interview with physicians using a headache questionnaire. 166 episodic migraine (EM) patients and 134 chronic migraine (CM) patients were included in the study out of 1327 primary headache patients. And 200 healthy adults from the physical examination center were included as a control group. Finally, we found that the patients with migraine (EM and CM) were more likely to be overweight, obese, or morbidly obese compared to those in the healthy group. Significant difference was found between BMI and frequency of migraine attacks but not severity or duration of headache onset. And no significant difference was found in severity and duration of headache onset between episodic and chronic migraine among different BMI classifications. Such may update our knowledge about the clinical features of migraine and BMI, revealing that the frequency of attacks may be associated with being overweight, obese, or morbidly obese in patients with migraine and that the extent of being overweight, obese, or morbidly obese in CM patients was lower than that in EM patients.
Migraine is one of the most frequent consultation syndromes at headache clinics with various neurological, gastrointestinal, and autonomic changes and has a worldwide prevalence which ranges from 5 to 35% in females and from 3 to 20% in males [
Obesity is comorbid with a number of chronic pain syndromes. The relationship between obesity and migraine has been the focus of clinical research in recent years. Previous studies had revealed that obesity was related with migraine patients with high frequency, greater severity, and some increased associated symptoms: higher disability grades, aura and an increased frequency of photophobia and phonophobia [
Therefore, we played a second analysis of a previous data, which predicted that different BMI classifications might be associated with EM and CM. We focused on the following questions: (1) the relationship between different BMI and migraine (EM and CM); (2) separately exploring the relationship of BMI and the frequency, severity, and duration of headache onset and their influence on migraineurs; and (3) the link between BMI and chronicity of migraine.
This is a second analysis of previous large clinic-based study survey data, which was completed in 2011, conducted at the Neurological Outpatient Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China. The target population for this analysis are adults aged 18–65. Younger and older people, as well as pregnant women, were excluded because of their changing weight. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Patients were informed of the purpose of the study and provided consent prior to participating.
All patients with a chief complaint of headache were included if they fulfilled “EM” and “CM” criteria according to the ICHD-II criteria. “Frequent” headache was defined as occurring on 10–14 days/month. Each participant was given a questionnaire to record the demographic characteristics, clinical features of the headache (frequency, duration, and intensity), and other information. Electroencephalography (EEG), radiography, transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD), and computed tomography (CT) of the brain were carried out if necessary in order to exclude second headache or other diseases.
Pain intensity was assessed on the 11-point pain scale (no pain: 0, mild: 1–3, moderate: 4–6, severe: 7–10). Both body height and weight were measured on subjects with light clothing and without shoes. BMI was calculated as the following formula: BMI = weight (kg)/height (m)2. Using WHO guidelines, we defined five categories based on BMI: underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5 to 24.9), overweight (25 to 29.9), obese (30 to 34.9), and morbidly obese (35). We combined the data of obese and morbidly obese patients as one group due to the small number of morbidly obese.
Analysis was performed using SPSS version 17.0 program. Data were summarized using frequency counts and descriptive statistics. Measurement data variables were expressed as means ± SEM. One-way ANOVA tests and
During the study period (July 20, 2011 to December 30, 2011), 10,315 consecutive patients visited the neurological outpatient of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. 1327 patients (12.9%) cited headache as their chief complaint, 166 of these headache patients were diagnosed as having EM (128 women and 38 men; mean age ± SD: 40.42 ± 2.38 years), and 134 were diagnosed as having CM (104 women and 30 men; mean age ± SD: 43.36 ± 2.93 years). At enrollment, the distribution of demographic variables was shown in Table
Demographic characteristics of the samples.
Characteristics | Control | EM | CM | Total sample | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
Gender | ||||||||
Male | 47 | 23.5 | 38 | 22.89 | 30 | 22.38 | 115 | 23 |
Female | 153 | 76.5 | 128 | 77.11 | 104 | 77.61 | 385 | 77 |
Mean age (year) (mean ± SD) | 42.81 ± 0.55 | 40.42 ± 2.38 | 43.36 ± 2.93 | |||||
Range (year) | 18–65 | 18–65 | 18–65 | 18–65 | ||||
Educational level | ||||||||
Illiterate | 17 | 8.5 | 14 | 8.43 | 10 | 7.46 | 41 | 8.2 |
Primary school | 38 | 19 | 32 | 19.28 | 26 | 15.66 | 96 | 19.2 |
Secondary school | 45 | 22.5 | 43 | 25.9 | 33 | 24.62 | 121 | 24.2 |
High school | 53 | 26.5 | 47 | 28.31 | 37 | 27.61 | 137 | 27.4 |
College and above | 47 | 23.5 | 30 | 18.07 | 28 | 20.9 | 105 | 21 |
Marital status | ||||||||
Unmarried | 35 | 17.5 | 29 | 17.46 | 14 | 10.45 | 78/500 | 15.6 |
Married | 138 | 69 | 109 | 65.67 | 93 | 69.4 | 340 | 68 |
Divorced | 17 | 7 | 18 | 10.84 | 19 | 14.18 | 54 | 10.8 |
Widowed | 10 | 5 | 10 | 6.02 | 8 | 5.97 | 28 | 5.6 |
The proportion of BMI classifications in three groups were shown in Table
Proportion and BMI categories.
Body mass index (BMI) | Control | EM | CM | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
Underweight (<18.5) | 15 | 7.5 | 16 | 9.6 | 13 | 9.7 | 0.9343 |
Normal weight (18.5–24.9) | 135 | 67.5 | 120 | 72.3 | 93 | 69.4 | 0.094 |
Overweight (25–29.9) | 39 | 19.5 | 25 | 15.1 | 23 | 17.2 | 0.0193 |
Obese/morbidly obese (>30) | 11 | 5.5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3.7 | 0.0008 |
We further divided all migraineurs into three groups according to pain severity: mild (1–3), moderate (4–6), and severe (7–10). The results showed that the proportion of four different BMI were not significantly different in three pain severity groups neither in EM nor in CM patients (
No correlation between the severity of headache and BMI was found in EM.
Weight category | Mild | Moderate | Severe | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
Underweight ( |
0 | 0 | 9 | 56.2 | 7 | 43.8 | 0.254 |
Normal ( |
2 | 1.7 | 55 | 45.8 | 63 | 52.5 | 0.259 |
Overweight ( |
1 | 4 | 9 | 36 | 15 | 60 | 0.261 |
Obese/morbidly obese ( |
0 | 0 | 4 | 66.7 | 1 | 33.3 | 0.653 |
No correlation between the severity of headache and BMI was found in CM.
Weight category | Mild | Moderate | Severe | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
Underweight ( |
0 | 0 | 5 | 38.5 | 8 | 61.5 | 0.487 |
Normal ( |
3 | 3.61 | 43 | 44.6 | 50 | 53.8 | 0.251 |
Overweight ( |
0 | 0 | 12 | 52.2 | 11 | 47.8 | 0.651 |
Obese/morbidly obese ( |
0 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 3 | 60 | 0.534 |
Most migraine patients had gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, which would influence their appetite. As a result, we analyzed whether the duration of headache onset had an effect on the BMI level. Migraineurs were well distributed into three groups (<4 h, 4–72 h, and >72 h) according to the duration of headache onset. The data showed that the proportion of four BMI classifications had no difference between different durations of headache onset in the groups (
There was no association between the duration of headache attacks and BMI in EM.
Weight category | <4 h | 4–72 h | >72 h | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
Underweight ( |
6 | 37.5 | 7 | 43.8 | 3 | 18.8 | 0.2415 |
Normal ( |
25 | 20.8 | 84 | 70 | 11 | 9.2 | 0.8176 |
Overweight ( |
6 | 24 | 14 | 56 | 5 | 20 | 0.0529 |
Obese/morbidly obese ( |
0 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 2 | 40 | 0.2076 |
There was no association between the duration of headache attacks and BMI in CM.
Weight category | <4 h | 4–72 h | >72 h | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | (%) | |||||
Underweight ( |
4 | 5 | 4 | 0.2415 | |||
Normal ( |
21 | 60 | 12 | 0.1025 | |||
Overweight ( |
8 | 12 | 3 | 0.0529 | |||
Obese/morbidly obese ( |
1 | 2 | 2 | 0.2076 |
Our study had revealed that CM patients were more apt to be overweight, obese, or morbidly obese than EM. We further compared the relationship of BMI level and frequency of migraine. We first compared the frequency of migraine attacks in episodic migraine. The result was shown in Table
Frequency headache was significant associated with BMI.
Weight category | <10 days/months | 10–14 days/months | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(%) | (%) | ||||
Underweight ( |
16 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Normal ( |
108 | 90 | 12 | 10 | <0.0001 |
Overweight ( |
18 | 72 | 7 | 28 | 0.0006 |
Obese/morbidly obese ( |
3 | 60 | 2 | 40 | 0.2392 |
Finally, we compared four BMI values in the severity and the duration of headache onset and frequency between EM and CM. In the severity and the duration of headache onset, four BMI classifications had showed no significant difference between EM and CM. Whereas, when we compared CM (>15 days/month) with frequent migraine (10–14 days/month, including EM according to ICHD-II), the results showed that CM had a more BMI score in classification of normal weight but less score in overweight and obese/morbidly obese, but only normal weight and overweight had a significance (Table
Frequency of headache was significant among different BMI categories between CM and EM.
Weight classification | Severe | Time of headache onset (>72 h) | Frequency (>10 days/months) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EM | CM | EM | CM | FM | CM | ||||
Underweight | 16.71 ± 0.5884 | 17.14 ± 0.3642 | 0.3807 | 17.82 ± 0.1337 | 17.77 ± 0.1249 | 0.4315 | 0 | 17.16 ± 0.3904 | 0 |
Normal | 21.34 ± 0.2356 | 21.58 ± 0.2831 | 0.5275 | 21.44 ± 0.5397 | 22.22 ± 0.4548 | 0.2296 | 21.40 ± 0.3313 | 21.83 ± 0.2063 | <0.0001 |
Overweight | 27.52 ± 0.3692 | 27.16 ± 0.3680 | 0.5031 | 26.17 ± 0.6147 | 26.34 ± 0.5946 | 0.1057 | 27.43 ± 0.3776 | 27.28 ± 0.2644 | 0.0001 |
Obese/morbidly obese | 34.22 ± 2.919 | 34.06 ± 2.729 | 0.9853 | 31.35 ± 0.2431 | 30.85 ± 0.7500 | 0.3991 | 38.07 ± 4.157 | 34.38 ± 0.8696 | 0.1696 |
Considering the result of Table
The relationship between obese and migraine in general has been studied in clinical research in recent years [
The relationship between obesity and migraine was still controversial. Previous studies had reported that obesity was comorbid with migraine in the severity and frequency of migraine attacks [
In our case series, we found that overweight and obese/morbidly obese patients had a higher likelihood of having CM than EM. Consistent with a previous study, we found no significant connection between BMI and the severity and the duration of headache onset but a connection with the frequency of migraine attacks was found [
To further study the relationship of migraine and BMI, we tested four different weight classifications in two migraine groups. The significance between migraine and BMI was related neither with severity nor with the duration of headache onset, but was related with the frequency of migraine attacks. CM patients were more likely to have a higher BMI score in the classification of normal weight, but less BMI score in overweight classification comparing with EM patients. It revealed that the frequency of migraine attacks may be associated to the higher proportion of overweight, obesity, or morbidly obese in chronic migraineurs, but the increase extent of BMI was lower than EM.
A similar result was shown in the study of Mamontov et al. [
Several mechanisms supported that there may exist a possible link between BMI and headaches. Concentrations of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels, which are elevated in obese individuals [
Our study evaluated the relationship between BMI and CM and the difference between epidemic and chronic migraine among different weight classifications in a clinic-based study. Diagnosis was made by physician interviewers using a questionnaire based on the ICHD-II criteria. All measurements were recorded by interviewers to confirm the right information of body height and weight. However, there are also some limitations that should be addressed here. It was a hospital-based study, and the results may be inappropriate to the general population. Besides, the study sample was limited. Therefore, further studies should be conducted in bigger population in the future.
In conclusion, overweight, obesity, or morbidly obese was associated with the frequency of migraine attacks but not the severity and duration of headache onset. The frequency of headache is connected with BMI changing. The more frequency, the heavier the weight when the headache was not chronic. Once the patient is transforming from EM to CM, the increasing trend of BMI was decreased. But more researches are needed in this field.
Body mass index
Chronic migraine
Episodic migraine
The International Classification of Headache Disorders
Frequency migraine.
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that they have no competing interests.
Qingqing Huang carried out all processes of the manuscript. Xiping Liang instructed the statistical analysis; Shiqiang Wang and Xiaosong Mu participated in its revision. And thanks to Jiying Zhou, who allowed us to use the data. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Qingqing Huang is the first author.
Appreciation is expressed to the members of the neurological clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University for their assistance in screening for eligible participants. The authors heartily thank the participants.