Association of Plant-Based Dietary Patterns with Migraine Headache Severity and Duration among Women

Abstract

Background: Migraine is a recurrent disorder which can cause socio-economic and public health burdens. Many factors, especially dietary factors are suggested to induce migraine headaches. The aim of this study was to examine the association between plant-based dietary patterns and headache severity and duration among migraine patients.

Methods: A sample of two hundred and sixty-six women with migraine (18-50 years) took part in the present cross-sectional study. Dietary intake data was collected using a validated and reliable food-frequency questionnaire. Three dietary indices were evaluated including an overall plant-based diet (PDI), healthful Plant-based diet (hPDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet (uPDI). Anthropometric measurements, headache duration, Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were assessed for all cases. Multinomial logistic regression and linear regression models were used to show the association between headaches and plant-based dietary patterns.

Results: An inverse association between higher adherence to hPDI and severity of headaches was found based on VAS (OR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.74; p=0.003), and severe disability based on MIDAS (OR=0.50; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.95; p=0.03). Conversely, uPDI scores were positively associated with severe headaches (OR=3.00; 95% CI: 1.72, 5.23; p<0.001), and disability (OR=2.50; 95% CI: 1.39, 4.51; p=0.001). Moreover, headaches duration showed an inverse significant association with hPDI scores (β=-0.21, 95% CI=-4.69, -1.08, p=0.002).

Conclusion: Plant-based diet, particularly healthful plant foods, was inversely associated with lower severity, disability and duration of headaches. In addition, unhealthy plant foods were associated with higher risk of migraine headaches.