Body mass index and headaches: findings from a national sample of US adults.
The objective was to study the cross-sectional association between body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of severe headaches or migraines in a national sample of US adults. We used data from 7601 men and women aged > or = 20 years who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. The age-adjusted prevalence of severe headaches or migraines during the previous 3 months was 34.0, 18.9, 20.7 and 25.9% among participants with a BMI < 18.5, 18.5 to < 25, 25 to < 30 and > or = 30 kg/m(2), respectively. After adjusting for a variety of covariates in a logistic regression model, those with a BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2)[odds ratio (OR) 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 3.02] or > or = 30 kg/m(2 )(OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.09, 1.72) had a significantly elevated OR for having a headache compared with participants with a BMI of 18.5-< 25 kg/m(2). BMI is associated with the prevalence of severe headaches or migraines in a non-linear manner.
Ford
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Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. eford@cdc.gov
Li
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Pearson
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Zhao
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Strine
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Mokdad
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AH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult