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population . However , body mass index ( BMI ) percentile significantly correlated with headache frequency and disability . As the BMI percentile increased , headache frequency and disability increased . Lowered BMI was associated with a positive change in headache frequency at both the three- and six-month follow-up visit . This study and others have shown that weight loss can contribute to a reduction in headache over time .
So why do obese children have more headaches ? We simply do not know . The mechanisms are unknown , and the effects of physiological and environmental factors are also unclear . But study after study has confirmed the headache-obesity link .
In a 2008 study conducted in Israel and published in the journal Obesity , 16.5 percent of children were considered at risk for being overweight and 41 percent were overweight . In these groups , researchers found that females had an almost four-fold risk of headaches compared with girls of normal weight .
A comprehensive 2010 study of 6,000 teens in Norway , which was led by John Anker-Zwart , MD , of Oslo University and published in the journal Neurology , analyzed negative factors associated with increased risk of headache . These included obesity , smoking and lack of exercise . Both separately and collectively , these factors increased the frequency of headaches . However , it was not clear if negative lifestyle factors caused the headaches or simply triggered them in an already vulnerable population .
Although certain medical disorders can lead to weight problems in children and adolescents , these conditions account for less than 1 percent of all cases of obesity . The main cause is making poor lifestyle choices . To help keep childhood obesity in check , intervention programs should be aimed at both parents and children .
It ’ s important to focus on modifiable factors . Children and adolescents should be encouraged to eat regular , well-balanced meals , and they should never skip breakfast . They also should get at least eight hours of sleep each night , maintain good hydration and exercise for at least one hour at a time , three to four times per week .
If kids are prescribed preventive headache medications , it ’ s important to avoid medicines that increase appetite and promote weight gain . Some medications , such as Topamax , have actually been shown to decrease appetite and weight .
For young people who are overweight , BMI should be discussed at the initial doctor visit , and educational intervention should be initiated immediately . Such efforts to improve the management of obesity in children and adolescents will improve not only headache control but also emotional and academic well-being . HW
Take Control
The following tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics can positively impact weight in children and adolescents :
Eat five fruits and vegetables every day .
Limit consumption of sugarsweetened beverages .
Eat family meals together .
Get one hour of physical activity per day .
Eat breakfast daily .
Limit fast food , takeout and eating out .
Limit TV and computer time to fewer than two hours per day .
Switch to low-fat dairy products .
Eat a calcium-rich , high-fiber diet .
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