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Obese Children May Experience More Headaches PDF Print E-mail
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Children and teens who are overweight have a greater risk of suffering from headaches, according to new research.

According to the information and results of the study, these same children and teens may find some relief from the headaches by losing the extra weight.

The study included more than 900 young adults suffering from headaches. The researchers found a direct correlation between the BMI and the frequency of the headaches. The higher the BMI, the more headaches reported.

BMI, or body mass index, is a measurement of overall health that compares the height of the body to the weight of the body. Adult based studies have found a link between Obesity and daily headaches. Until now, however, the link in children and teens has not been established.

The current study, headed by Dr. Andrew D. Hershey of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, studied more than 900 children over a period of 6 months. These children and teens all presented at one of nine Pediatric headache centers for care.

More than 17% of the total group of children and teens were marked as obese with another 30% + at risk for becoming obese. Researchers noted a steady increase in the amount of headaches suffered as the BMI increased.

The reason for the link between the BMI and the severity and frequency of the headaches is unclear at this point. Some researchers believe the Inflammation associated with obesity may be to blame for the chronic headaches.

Last Updated ( Friday, 21 November 2008 )
 
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