Is there an association between increased body mass index (BMI) and migraine?
Dr. Ramadan Dr. B. Lee Peterlin, assistant professor of neurology and assistant professor of pharmacology and physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, presented research findings at the summit about the association between increased adipose tissue, especially fat at the belly, and migraine. She reported that both male and female patients, ages 20 to 55, who had greater waist circumference had a significantly higher rate of migraine than those with smaller bellies. When data were controlled for total body obesity, the association no longer held true for migraine prevalence in men. The research also showed that total body obesity as measured by BMI is a risk factor for chronic migraine, but this finding cannot be extrapolated to migraine prevalence in the general population. Interviewer Can you please explain why fat would influence onset or frequency of migraine? Dr. Ramadan White adipose tissue, the main component of belly fat, plays a critical role as an en
