Is Neck Circumference an Indicator for Metabolic Complication of Childhood Obesity?

The possible role of neck circumference (NC) for screening childhood obesity and its complication is not well characterized.

To assess NC and to explore its increase as risk factor with metabolic syndrome (MS) variables.

Cross sectional case-control study included 50 obese children (BMI ≥95(th) percentile) and 50 healthy (BMI 15(th)-‹85(th) percentile). All were subjected to clinical examination, measuring blood pressure (BP), body weight, height, NC, waist (WC) and hip (HC)., fasting blood glucose, insulin and lipid profile.

MS was detected among 52% of obese participants, but not among controls (0%). Clinical parameters and most of the laboratory values were higher in subjects with MS than in non-metabolic subjects, with statistical significance only in blood pressure and triglycerides. Among obese without MS, NC showed significantly positive correlations with age, weight, height, WC, HC and negative with LDL. While among Obese with MS, NC showed significantly positive correlations with age, weight, height, BMI-SDS, WC, HC and DBP.

NC can be considered as a good indicator and predictor for obesity, especially central obesity. However, NC has no relation with lipid profile or fasting blood sugar.