Accuracy of Neck Circumference as a Screening Tool in Classifying General and Central Obesity

the neck circumference (NC) as an index of obesity and upper-body subcutaneous adipose tissue distribution is recently used. This alternative screening tool is reliable, simple, quick and acceptable for assessment of overweight and obesity. the objectives of this study were to examine the correlation between NC measurement and diagnosis of general/visceral obesity and determining the best NC cut point value in a subgroup of Iranian population.
About 15000 adult patients (age between 18-75years) participated in this study. At last 8387 patients met the inclusion criteria. A questionnaire which consisted of anthropometric measurements and demographic features was used. The standard criterion to categorization of NC, waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) identified.
In both gender there were positive significant correlations between neck circumference and: body weight (men, r=0.775; women, r=0.739; P=0.000), waist circumferences (men, r=0.77; women r=0.760; P=0.000), and BMI (men, r=0.76; women, r=0.738; P=0.000). NC ≥38.75 cm for men had sensitivity for overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 25kg/m2) of 83.5%, a specificity of 77.8% and in women NC ≥34.2 cm had sensitivity for BMI ≥ 25kg/m2 of 79.4%, a specificity of 80.2%. The cutoff values of NC in men and women that identified central obesity (WC ≥95 cm) were ≥39.25 and ≥34.5 cm respectively
This study indicates that NC was associated with body weight, BMI, waist circumferences for men and women. A significant association was found between NC and central obesity for both genders specially men.