Abstract
Background:
Neck circumference (NC) is a simple anthropometric measurement that may be linked with cardiometabolic risk factors. We analyzed the association between NC and a range of cardiometabolic risk factors.
Methods:
In a cross-sectional and sex-specific analysis of the ELSA-Brasil study (15,105 civil servants aged 35–74 years), we excluded participants with diabetes, taking antihypertensive and/or lipid-lowering drugs. Cardiometabolic risk factors were homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (≥75th percentile), low high-density lipoprotein (HDL; <50 mg/dL for women and <40 mg/dL for men), high triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL, systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg, or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mmHg. Logistic regression models were built to analyze the association between individual and clustered risk factors and 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in NC after adjustments for age, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, and waist circumference.
Results:
We analyzed 8726 participants (56.3% women), with a mean age of 49.2 ± 8.0 years. Mean NC was 38.9 ± 2.6 cm for men and 33.4 ± 2.6 cm for women. Fully adjusted odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] per 1-SD increase in NC in men and women were, respectively, 1.32 (1.16–1.51) and 1.47 (1.31–1.64) for insulin resistance; 1.24 (1.11–1.39) and 1.25 (1.11–1.40) for raised blood pressure; 1.50 (1.33–1.70) and 1.51 (1.33–1.70) for high triglycerides; and 1.22 (0.92–1.61) and 1.54 (1.23–1.86) for low HDL. Fully adjusted ORs (95% CI) of three or more clustered risk factors per 1-SD increase in NC in men and women were 1.54 (1.34–1.79) and 1.71 (1.41–2.06).
Conclusion:
NC is significantly and independently associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in a well-defined apparently healthy population.
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