ABSTRACT
Background
The present study was conducted to explore the association between adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and migraine headache features including frequency, duration, and severity, as well as patients’ migraine-related disabilities among the Iranian population diagnosed with migraine.
Methods
In the present cross-sectional study on 262 migraine patients aged 20-50 years old, a validated 168-item, food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the dietary intakes of participants. The Mediterranean diet score was calculated for each subject using nine pre-defined dietary components and ranged from 0-9. The headache severity, duration, frequency, migraine headache index score (MHIS), and headache impact test-6 (HIT-6) were measured using related questionnaires.
Results
After controlling for potential confounders, Mediterranean diet tended to be associated with lower headache frequency (β = −1.74, 95% CI: −3.53,0.03) and duration (β = −0.28, 95% CI: −0.59, −0.02) and was significantly associated with lower MHIS (β = −29.32, 95% CI: −51.22, −7.42), and HIT-6 score (β = −2.86, 95% CI: −5.40, −0.32) for those in the highest category of Mediterranean diet scores compared to the lowest category. A subgroup analysis of women also revealed a negative association between Mediterranean diet and headaches frequency (β = −2.30, 95% CI: −4.27, −0.32), duration (β = −0.42, 95% CI: −0.78, −0.07), scores of MHIS (β = −47.44, 95% CI: −71.90, −22.99), and HIT-6 (β = −3.45, 95% CI: −6.29, −0.61), after controlling for potential confounders.
Conclusions
The present study suggests that adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with lower headache frequency, duration, MHIS, and HIT-6 score.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank all participants who kindly contributed to the study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Financial support
This study was funded by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Conflict of interest
None.
Consent for publication
Not applicable
Author Contribution
Conception and Design: A.A, G.A, F.K
Acquisition of Data: A.A, G.A, F.K
Analysis and Interpretation of Data: A.A
Drafting the Manuscript: A.A, G.A, E.K
Revising It for Intellectual Content: A.A, G.A, F.K, E.K, A.H