Abstract
Background: Due to a clinical and public health interest of neck circumference (NC), a better understanding of this simple anthropometric measurement, as a valid marker of body composition is necessary. Methods: A total of 119 young healthy adults participated in this study. NC was measured over the thyroid cartilage and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the neck. Body weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference were measured. A Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan was used to determine fat mass, lean mass, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Additionally, body mass index (BMI) and triponderal mass index (TMI), the waist to hip and waist to height ratios, and the fat mass and lean mass indexes (FMI and LMI, respectively) were calculated. Results: NC was positively associated in women (W) and men (M), with BMI (rW = 0.70 and rM = 0.84, respectively), TMI (rW = 0.63 and rM = 0.80, respectively), WC (rW = 0.75 and rM = 0.86, respectively), VAT (rW = 0.74 and rM = 0.82, respectively), Waist/hip (rW = 0.51 and rM = 0.67, respectively), Waist/height (rW = 0.68 and rM = 0.83, respectively) and FMI (rW = 0.61 and rM = 0.81, respectively). The association between NC and indicators of body composition was however weaker than that observed by BMI, TMI, WC and Waist/height in both women and men. It is of note that in women, NC was associated with FMI, VAT and LMI independently of BMI. In men, adding NC to anthropometric variables did not improve the prediction of body composition, while slight improvements were observed in women. Conclusions: Taken together, the present study provides no indication for NC as a useful proxy of body composition parameters in young adults, yet future studies should explore its usefulness as a measure to use in combination with BMI, especially in women.
Highlights
Data from the European Health Interview Survey (Eurostat) indicates that more than half of the European population is overweight or obese [1]
The association of neck circumference with indicators of body composition measured by Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was weaker than that observed for body mass index (BMI), triponderal mass index (TMI), waist circumference (WC) and Waist/height, but not with Waist/hip
In the present study we showed that neck circumference is associated with anthropometric indicators including BMI, TMI, or WC as well as with indicators of body fat measured by DXA such as FMI or visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in a sample of young Spanish adults
Summary
Data from the European Health Interview Survey (Eurostat) indicates that more than half of the European population is overweight or obese [1]. BMI does not reflect body fat distribution [5,6]. Both waist circumference and waist-hip circumference ratio are indicators of body fat distribution, and they are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease [7,8]. These measures can be affected by the postprandial abdominal distension and breathing movement. Body mass index (BMI) and triponderal mass index (TMI), the waist to hip and waist to height ratios, and the fat mass and lean mass indexes (FMI and LMI, respectively) were calculated. Results: NC was positively associated in women (W) and men (M), with BMI
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