Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Lifestyle Factors and Migraine in Childhood

  • Childhood and Adolescent Headache (S Evers, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Migraine is one of the most common pain symptoms in children. Indeed, a high percentage of adult migraine patients report to have suffered from recurrent headache during the childhood. In particular, children could experience the so-called childhood periodic syndromes (such as cyclic vomiting, abdominal migraine, and benign paroxysmal vertigo) that have been usually considered precursors of migraine or they could develop overt migraine headaches. However, typical cohort of migraine symptoms could be absent and children could not achieve all clinical features necessary for a migraine attack diagnosis according to classification criteria. Nevertheless, migraine is characterized also in childhood by a significant negative impact on the quality of life and a high risk of developing chronic and persistent headache in adulthood. Several studies have emphasized the role of different risk factors for migraine in children. Among these, obesity and overweight, particular food or the regular consumption of alcohol or caffeine, dysfunctional family situation, low level of physical activity, physical or emotional abuse, bullying by peers, unfair treatment in school, and insufficient leisure time seem to be strictly related to migraine onset or progression. Consequently, both identification and avoidance of triggers seem to be mandatory in children with migraine and could represent an alternative approach to the treatment of migraine abstaining from pharmacologic therapies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Kristjansdottir G, Wahlberg V. Sociodemographic differences in the prevalence of self-reported headache in Icelandic school-children. Headache. 1993;33:376–80.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Carlsson J. Prevalence of headache in schoolchildren: relation to family and school factors. Acta Paediatr. 1996;85:692–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Virtanen RM, Rautava AP, Metsähonkala L, Anttila P, Helenius H, Sillanpää M. Changes in headache prevalence between pre-school and pre-pubertal ages. Cephalalgia. 2002;22:179–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Abu-Arafeh I, Razak S, Sivaraman B, Graham C. Prevalence of headache and migraine in children and adolescents: a systematic review of population-based studies. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2010;52(12):1088–97.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Wyllie WG, Schlesinger B. The periodic group of disorders in childhood. Br J Child Dis. 1933;30:1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Lagman-Bartolome AM, Lay C. Pediatric migraine variants: a review of epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2015;15(6):34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Headache Classification Committee of the international Headache Society (IHS). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (beta version). Cephalalgia. 2013;33(9):629–808.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Patel NV, Bigal ME, Kolodner KB, Leotta C, Lafata JE, Lipton RB. Prevalence and impact of migraine and probable migraine in a health plan. Neurology. 2004;63(8):1432–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Kienbacher C, Wober C, Zesch HE, Hafferl-Gattermayer A, Posch M, Karwautz A, et al. Clinical features, classification and prognosis of migraine and tension-type headache in children and adolescents: a long-term follow-up study. Cephalalgia. 2006;26(7):820–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Wober-Bingol C, Wöber C, Wagner-Ennsgraber C, Zebenholzer K, Vesely C, Geldner J, et al. IHS criteria and gender: a study on migraine and tension-type headache in children and adolescents. Cephalalgia. 1996;16(2):107–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Wober-Bingol C. Epidemiology of migraine and headache in children and adolescence. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2013;17:341.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Casucci G, Villani V, D’Onofrio F, Russo A. Migraine and lifestyle in childhood. Neurol Sci. 2015;36 Suppl 1:97–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Tzamaloukas AH, Murata GH, Hoffman RM, Schmidt DW, Hill JE, Leger A, et al. Classification of the degree of obesity by body mass index or by deviation from ideal weight. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2003;27(5):340–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. World Health Organization. Obesity and overweight. From: http://who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/, Updated January 2015.

  15. Ravid S, Shahar E, Schiff A, Gordon S. Obesity in children with headaches: association with headache type, frequency, and disability. Headache. 2013;53(6):954–61. This study examined the association between obesity and different types of primary headaches.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Pinhas-Hamiel O, Frumin K, Gabis L, Mazor-Aronovich K, Modan-Moses D, Reichman B, et al. Headaches in overweight children and adolescents referred to a tertiary-care center in Israel. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16(3):659–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kinik ST, Alehan F, Erol I, Kanra AR. Obesity and paediatric migraine. Cephalalgia. 2010;30(1):105–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hershey AD, Powers SW, Nelson TD, Kabbouche MA, Winner P, Yonker M, et al. American headache society pediatric adolescent section. Obesity in the pediatric headache population: a multicenter study. Headache. 2009;49(2):170–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Pakalnis A, Kring D. Chronic daily headache, medication overuse, and obesity in children and adolescents. J Child Neurol. 2012;27(5):577–80.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Scher AI, Lipton RB, Stewart W. Risk factors for chronic daily headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2002;6:486–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Bigal ME, Lipton RB. Obesity is a risk factor for transformed migraine but not chronic tension-type headache. Neurology. 2006;67:252–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Recober A, Goadsby PJ. Calcitonin gene-related peptide: a molecular link between obesity and migraine? Drug News Perspect. 2010;23(2):112–7.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Verrotti A, Di Fonzo A, Agostinelli, Coppola G, Margiotta M, Parisi P. Obese children suffer more often from migraine. Acta Paediatr. 2012;101(9):e416–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Peterlin BL, Bigal ME, Tepper SJ, Urakaze M, Sheftell FD, Rapoport AM. Migraine and adiponectin: is there a connection? Cephalalgia. 2007;27(5):435–46.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Zelissen PM, Koppeschaar HP, Lips CJ, Hackeng WH. Calcitonin gene-related peptide in human obesity. Peptides. 1991;12(4):861–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ray ST, Kumar R. Migraine and obesity: cause or effect? Headache. 2010;50(2):326–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Overath CH, Darabaneanu S, Evers MC. Does an aerobic endurance programme have an influence on information processing in migraineurs? J Headache Pain. 2014;15:11.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Stang PE, Yanagihar PA, Swanson JW, Beard CM, O’Fallon WM, Guess HA, et al. Incidence of migraine headache: a population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Neurology. 1992;42:1657–62.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Van den Bergh V, Amery WK, Waelkens J. Trigger factors in migraine: a study conducted by the Belgian Migraine Society. Headache. 1987;27:191–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Millichap JG, Yee M. The diet factor in pediatric and adolescent migraine. Pediatr Neurol. 2003;28:9–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Bic Z, Blix GG, Hopp HP, Leslie FM, Schell MJ. The influence of a low-fat diet on incidence and severity of migraine headaches. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 1999;8:623–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Dalton K, Dalton M. Food intake before migraine attacks in children. J Roy Coll Gen Pract. 1979;29:662–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Martin VT, Behbehani MM. Headache. Toward a rational understanding of migraine trigger factors. Med Clin N Am. 2001;85:1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Egger J, Carter CM, Wilson J, Turner MW, Soothill JF. Is migraine food allergy? A double-blind controlled trial of oligoantigenic diet treatment. Lancet. 1983;2:865–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Egger J, Carter CM, Soothill JF, Wilson J. Oligoantigenic diet treatment of children with epilepsy and migraine. J Pediatr. 1989;114:51–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Moffett AM, Swash M, Scott DF. Effect of chocolate in migraine: a double-blind study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1974;37:445–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Marcus DA, Scharff L, Turk D, Gourley LM. A double-blind provocative study of chocolate as a trigger of headache. Cephalalgia. 1997;17:855–62.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. McCabe BJ. Dietary tyramine and other pressor amines in MAOI regimens: a review. J Am Diet Assoc. 1986;86:1059–64.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Hanington E. Preliminary report on tyramine headache. BMJ. 1967;2:550–1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. Report on teen tipplers. New York: Columbia University; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Millichap JG. Environmental poisons in our food. Chicago: PNB Publishers; 1993. p. 125–7.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Fenichel GM. Clinical pediatric neurology. A signs and symptoms approach. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company; 1988. p. 85.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Dusseldorp M, Katan M. Headache caused by caffeine withdrawal among moderate coffee drinkers switched from ordinary to decaffeinated coffee: a 12-week double-blind trial. BMJ. 1990;300:1558–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Watemberg N, Matar M, Har-Gil M, Mahajnah M. The influence of excessive chewing gum use on headache frequency and severity among adolescents. Pediatr Neurol. 2014;50(1):69–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society. The international classification of headache disorders, 2nd edition. Cephalalgia. 2004;24 Suppl 1:9–160.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Raskin NH, Knittle SC. Ice cream headache and orthostatic symptoms in patients with migraine. Headache. 1976;16:222–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Waldie KE, Thompson JM, Mia Y. Risk factors for migraine and tension-type headache in 11 year old children. J Headache Pain. 2014;15:60.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Neut D, Fily A, Cuvellier JC, Vallée L. The prevalence of triggers in paediatric migraine: a questionnaire study in 102 children and adolescents. J Headache Pain. 2012;13(1):61–5.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Crespo CJ, Smit E, Troiano RP, Macera CA, Andersen RE. Television watching, energy intake, and obesity in US children: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155(3):360–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Toyran M, Ozmert E, Yurdakök K. Television viewing and its effect on physical health of schoolage children. Turk J Pediatr. 2002;44(3):194–203.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Kröner-Herwig B, Gassmann J. Headache disorders in children and adolescents: their association with psychological, behavioral, and socio-environmental factors. Headache. 2012;52:1387–401. A cross-sectional study exploring the association between psychosocial variables and primary headache disorders in a group of children and adolescents.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Larsson B, Melin L. The psychological treatment of recurrent headache in adolescents: short-term outcome and its prediction. Headache. 1988;28:187–95.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Söderqvist F, Hardell L, Carlberg M, Hansson Mild K. Ownership and use of wireless telephones: a population-based study of Swedish children aged 7-14 years. BMC Public Health. 2007;11:7–105.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Chiu CT, Chang YH, Chen CC, Ko MC, Li CY. Mobile phone use and health symptoms in children. J Formos Med Assoc. 2015;114(7):598–604.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Nesbitt AD, Leschziner GD, Peatfield RC. Headache, drugs and sleep. Cephalalgia. 2014;34(10):756–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Miller VA, Palermo TM, Powers SW, Scher MS, Hershey AD. Migraine headaches and sleep disturbances in children. Headache. 2003;43(4):362–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Bruni O, Fabrizi P, Ottaviano S, Cortesi F, Giannotti F, Guidetti V. Prevalence of sleep disorders in childhood and adolescence with headache: a case-control study. Cephalalgia. 1997;17:492–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Dosi C, Figura M, Ferri R, Bruni O. Sleep and headache. Semin Pediatr Neurol. 2015;22(2):105–12. This article is a very interesting review on pediatric headache and sleep diseases.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Bursztein C, Steinberg T, Sleep SA. Sleepiness, and behavior problems in children with headache. J Child Neurol. 2006;21:1012–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Bruni O, Russo PM, Violani C, Guidetti V. Sleep and migraine: an actigraphic study. Cephalalgia. 2004;24:134–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Balottin U, Termine C, Nicoli F, Quadrelli M, Ferrari-Ginevra O, Lanzi G. Idiopathic headache in children under six years of age: a follow-up study. Headache. 2005;45:705–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Bruni O, Alonso-Alconada D, Besag F, Biran V, Braam W, Cortese S, et al. Current role of melatonin in pediatric neurology: clinical recommendations. Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2015;19(2):122–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Kunz D, Mahlberg R. A two-part, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of exogenous melatonin in REM sleep behavior disorder. J Sleep Res. 2010;19(4):591–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Schürks M, Winter A, Berger K, Kurth T. Migraine and restless legs syndrome: a systematic review. Cephalalgia. 2014;34(10):777–94.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Sabayan B, Bagheri M, Borhani HA. Possible joint origin of restless leg syndrome (RLS) and migraine. Med Hypotheses. 2007;69(1):64–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Giroud M, d’Athis P, Guard O, Dumas R. Migraine somnambulism. A survey of 122 migraine patients. Rev Neurol (Paris). 1986;142(1):42–6.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Carra MC, Huynh N, Lavigne G. Sleep bruxism: a comprehensive overview for the dental clinician interested in sleep medicine. Dent Clin North Am. 2012;56(2):387–413.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. De Luca CG, Singh V, Bigal ME, Major PW, Flores-Mir C. Association between tension-type headache and migraine with sleep bruxism: a systematic review. Headache. 2014;54(9):1460–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Gonçalves DA, Bigal ME, Jales LC, Camparis CM, Speciali JG. Headache and symptoms of temporo-mandibular disorder: an epidemiological study. Headache. 2010;50(2):231–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Vendrame M, Kaleyias J, Valencia I, Valencia I, Legido A, Kothare SV. Polysomnographic findings in children with headaches. Pediatr Neurol. 2008;39(1):6–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Mark Connelly PD, Todd Miller BA, Gerry G, Bickel J. Electronic momentary assessment of weather changes as a trigger of headaches in children. Headache. 2010;50:779–89.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Antilla P, Sourander A, Metsähonkala L, Aromaa M, Helenius H, Sillanpää M. Psychiatric symptoms in children with primary headache. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2004;43:412–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Ferracini GM, Dach F, Speciali JG. Quality of life and health-related disability in children with migraine. Headache. 2014;54:325–34. This is very interesting study aimed at determining the migraine impact on the health-related quality of life in children.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Arruda MA, Arruda R, Guidetti V, Bigal ME. Psychosocial adjustment of children with migraine and tension-type headache—a nationwide study. Headache. 2015;55(S1):39–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Saper JR. Headache disorders. John Wright: Bristol & Boston; 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  76. Karwautz A, Wöber C, Lang T, Böck A, Wagner-Ennsgraber C, Vesely C, et al. Psychosocial factors in children and adolescents with migraine and tension-type headache: a controlled study and review of the literature. Cephalalgia. 1999;19(1):32–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Maratos J, Wilkinson M. Migraine in children: a medical and psychiatric study. Cephalalgia. 1982;2(4):179–87.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Larsson B. The role of psychosocial, health behavior and medical factors in adolescent headache. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1988;38:222–8.

    Google Scholar 

  79. Metsahonkala I, Sillanpaa, Tuominen J. Social environment and headache in 8 to 9-years-old children: a follow up study. Headache. 1998;38:222–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Messinger H, Spierings E, Vincent A, Lebbink J. Headache and family history. Cephalalgia. 1991;11:13–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Aromaa M, Rautava P, Helenius H, et al. Factors of early life as predictors of headache in children at school entry. Headache. 1998;38:23–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Fichtel A, Larsson B. Psychosocial impact of headache and comorbidity with other pains among Swedish school adolescents. Headache. 2002;42:766–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Powers SW, Gilman DK, Hershey AD. Headache and psychological functioning in children and adolescents. Headache. 2006;46:1404–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Van den Bree MB, Passchier J, Emmen HJ. Influence of quality of life and stress coping behaviour on headaches in adolescent male students: an explorative study. Headache. 1990;30:165–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Matarese CA, Mack KJ. Management considerations in the treatment of migraine in adolescents. Adolesc Health Med Ther. 2010;1:21–30.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Headache Center, Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Second University of Naples, Naples, 80138, Italy

    Antonio Russo, Antonio Bruno, Francesca Trojsi, Alessandro Tessitore & Gioacchino Tedeschi

  2. MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Antonio Russo, Francesca Trojsi, Alessandro Tessitore & Gioacchino Tedeschi

  3. Institute for Diagnosis and Care “Hermitage Capodimonte”, Naples, Italy

    Antonio Russo & Gioacchino Tedeschi

Authors
  1. Antonio Russo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Antonio Bruno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francesca Trojsi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alessandro Tessitore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gioacchino Tedeschi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gioacchino Tedeschi.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Antonio Russo, Antonio Bruno, Francesca Trojsi, Alessandro Tessitore, and Gioacchino Tedeschi declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Childhood and Adolescent Headache

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Russo, A., Bruno, A., Trojsi, F. et al. Lifestyle Factors and Migraine in Childhood. Curr Pain Headache Rep 20, 9 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-016-0539-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-016-0539-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation