title: Body mass index, abdominal obesity, body fat and migraine features in women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies seeking to establish an association between migraine and anthropometric parameters have thus far been inconclusive. Furthermore, drugs used for migraine prophylaxis may be associated with changes in body weight.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential association of anthropometric parameters and body fat percentage with attack patterns and use of prophylactic medication in migraineurs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study that assessed the body mass index, waist circumference, body fat percentage and related clinical variables (characteristics of attacks and the use of prophylactic medication) in female outpatients with migraine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  166 female migraineurs aged ≥18 years (mean age, 45 ± 14 years) were included in the study. Migraine without aura was most prevalent (71.7%). Mean body mass index and body fat percentage were 27.8±6.0 kg/m² and 36.4 ± 8.3% respectively. Body mass index and waist circumference were weakly correlated with frequency of attacks over 6 months (rs = 0.162, p < 0.05 and rs = 0.187, p < 0.05 respectively). These correlations remains weak considering only premenopausal women, but disappear in the older women. Stratification of analysis by migraine type field shows a moderate correlation between migraine with aura and frequency of attacks over 6 months and body mass index (rs = 0.369, p < 0.05), as well as waist circumference (rs = 0.423, p < 0.01). Patients who were on prophylactic medication had higher body mass index, waist circumference, and body fat percentage values (p < 0.01, Student t-test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed a potential, though tenuous association between migraine and anthropometric parameters and frequency of attacks, which does not reflect on the duration, severity, and disability of attacks, with patterns differing by migraine type, reproductive age and prophylactic medication.
authors.affiliation: Food and Nutrition Research Center, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rossoni de Oliveira
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camboim Rockett
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: da Silveira Perla
authors.forename: Márcia Lorena Fagundes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Ingrid D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Schweigert Perry
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult