Background: The association between obesity and migraine has been established; however, it is unclear whether it varies by perceived stress within each gender. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the ongoing NutriNet-Santé e-cohort with enrollees from the general population. Anthropometric and migraine data were provided via self-report questionnaires (2013–2016). Migraine was defined using established criteria. Perceived stress was assessed with Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale-10. Associations were estimated via gender- and stress-stratified multivariable polytomous logistic regression models. Results: Among 32,835 participants with complete data (75% women; mean age = 51.9 ± 13.8 years), 34% reported no headache, 44% non-migraine headache, and 22% migraine with or without aura during one’s lifetime. In these groups, obesity was present in 8.6, 9.9, and 11.6%, respectively. Stress was a significant moderator of the obesity-migraine association only among women. The largest significant adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was found between obesity and migraine in women with high stress (aOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.35–1.91). Conclusions: We found support for gender- and stress-dependent associations between obesity and migraine using a large, heterogeneous adult sample. This underscores the need for evidence-based strategies for weight loss and stress reduction for female migraineurs.

Keywords:
Migraine, Obesity, Body mass index, Stress, Headache, Interaction, Public health
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2018
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