Aim: Overall and central obesity are associated with disorders in lipid and glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, hypertension, atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. Waist circumference and abdominal sagittal diameter have been suggested as the best simple anthropometric indexes of abdominal visceral fat accumulation. The aim of the present study was to test the association of neck circumference with abdominal and general obesity as well as with insulin resistance related factors.
Method: Neck circumference was measured in addition to the traditional anthropometric measures and blood lipids, insulin and glucose concentrations and blood pressure.
Results: The prevalence rates of disorders in lipid or glucose metabolism and high fasting insulin concentrations were highest in the highest quintiles of all the anthropometric measures.
Conclusion: We conclude that neck circumference is associated with the metabolic disorders related to insulin resistance. The measurement of neck circumference could be useful in clinical screening for persons at an enhanced risk for insulin resistance.