Abstract

UTILITY OF NECK CIRCUMFERENCE, A SIMPLE AND NOVEL MEASURE AS ANTHROPOMETRIC MARKER OF OBESITY IN ADULTS

Jagadamba Aswathappa* Sumit Garg, Karthiyanee Kutty, Vinutha Shankar

ABSTRACT

Introduction: According to WHO,obesity is increasing alarmingly worldwide.Neck circumference is a relatively new method of differentiating between normal and abnormal fat distribution. Aim:To determine association of Neck Circumference (NC) with other anthropometric measures in males & females and to define Neck Circumference cutoff levels for overweight and obesity according to existing Asian Indian BMI cutoff levels in males & females. Materials And Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted & prospectively recruited 840 males & 511 females. Anthropometric variables were tested by using Independent t test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.ROC analysis was done for NC against BMI &WC. Result Analysis: Mean NC of the males (36.48+5.70) was significantly higher than in females(34.12+5.70). NC> 36cm for males &> 32cm for females was the best cutoff levels for determining the overweight/obese subjects with BMI > 23 kg/m², using ROC analysis . NC> 38cm for males & > 36cm for females was the best cutoff levels for determining the central obesity subjects with WC> 90cm in males & WC>80cm in females, using ROC analysis. Conclusion:NC>36cm for males & >32cm for females was the best cutoff levels for determining the overweight/obese subjects. NC >38cm for males & >34cm for females was the best cutoff levels for determining the central obesity in the subjects.NC could be a potential, inexpensive, easily measured clinical screening tool for evaluating central obesity.

Keywords: Neck circumference, Obesity.