Impact of a weight loss program on migraine in obese adolescents
European Journal of Neurology, 05/31/2012
Verrotti A et al. – Significant improvements in both adiposity and headache data were observed in obese adolescents with migraine who participated in 12–month–long interdisciplinary intervention program for weight loss. Initial body weight and amount of weight loss may be useful for clinicians to predict migraine outcomes.
Methods- One hundred thirty-five migraineurs, aged 14-18 years, with body mass index (BMI) ≥97th percentile, participating in a 12-month-long program, were studied before and after treatment.
- The program included dietary education, specific physical training, and behavioral treatment.
- Decreases in weight (P<0.01), BMI (P<0.01), waist circumference (P<0.01), headache frequency (P<0.01) and intensity (P<0.01), use of acute medications (P<0.05), and disability (P<0.05) were observed at the end of the first 6-month period and were maintained through the second 6 months.
- Both lower baseline BMI and excess change in BMI were significantly associated with better migraine outcomes 12-month after intervention program.
