Neck circumference as an indicator of obesity in young adults

Abstract

Objective: Neck circumference (NC) is considered to be an indicator of upper-body subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution. An upper body distribution of fat, especially with increased visceral adipose tissue, is considered to be predictive of cardiometabolic outcomes. Therefore, in this study, we have studied the relationship between NC and the conventional marker of obesity, namely, body mass index (BMI) and also the triglyceride levels in a group of young adults. Methods: There were 60 participants in this study in the age group of 18-42 years of both genders with no known major medical conditions (viz., diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, thyroid diseases, or malignancy) NC was measured at mid-neck height. The analysis of serum triglycerides was carried out after an overnight fast using Beckman Coulter autoanalyzer. Results: A significantly positive correlation was found between NC and BMI (r=0.8154, p<0.0001). A positive correlation was found between NC and triglyceride levels (r=0.0316, p=0.9934). Measurement of NC may be more useful in morbidly obese people, bedridden patients, and pregnant women. NC is found to have a positive correlation with insulin resistance and various components of the metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: NC can be considered as a simple, useful, and reliable tool to identify overweight and obesity. This can be used as an alternative method to assess the fat distribution in health-care centers and also in population studies.