P029. Migraine, body weight and psychological factors in children and adolescents

Abstract

Background: Several studies have assessed the associations between adult migraine and underweight, pre-obesity or obesity. Prevalence, frequency, and severity of migraine appear to increase in relation to the body mass index, although this evidence is not supported by all the studies examined. The link between body weight and headache has hardly been examined in children. Data on the possible association between the body mass index (BMI) and the psychological profile in migraine children are sparse. Objectives: Aims of the present study were: 1) to study the prevalence of pre-obesity and obesity in migraineur children/adolescents; 2) to analyze the possible relationship between frequency and severity of migraine and overweight; 3) to explore the role of anxiety and somatization on BMI in migraine patients. Methods: We studied 92 migraineurs (mean age 11.3+/-2.3 years; 43 M and 49 F). Patients were divided into 2 groups according to headache attack frequency: 1) high frequency (HF) patients, having from weekly to daily episodes, and 2) low frequency (LF) patients, showing