Neck Circumference as a Screening Tool for Metabolic Syndrome among Lebanese College Students

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of symptoms that, when present, increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. There is a need for reliable screening tools that are ethnically sensitive. Two hundred and sixty-six college students were assessed anthropometrically. They had a fasting blood sample drawn, and blood pressure measured. They then completed a demographic questionnaire and The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The prevalence of MetS was found to be 10.1% in males and 4.5% in females. Neck circumference (NC) was positively associated with BMI in males (r = 0.55, p < 0.001) and females (r = 0.53, p < 0.001) and was positively associated with hip circumference in both males (r = 0.47, p < 0.001) and females (r = 0.50, p < 0.001) and with waist circumference in males (r = 0.46, p < 0.001) and females (r = 0.49, p < 0.001.) An area under the curve (AUC) was calculated using receiver operating characteristics (ROC), and NC >38 cm in males and NC>36 cm in females were found to be appropriate cut-offs for diagnosing MetS. NC is a reliable and non-invasive screening tool that can be used to screen for MetS in males. NC could also serve as an anthropometric instrument to assess abdominal obesity and could be valuable for college students.

Comparison of the Incidence and Diagnostic Value of Insulin Resistance Indicators in the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Southeast China

“…Firstly, the multifaceted diagnosis of preMetS and MetS, due to the necessity of intricate physical examinations and clinical metrics 55 , is challenging to widely implement in community screenings. Secondly, the use of different instruments for the complex assessment of ve risk factors can lead to signi cant measurement errors and ine ciencies 56,57 , especially in large-scale screening projects. Additionally, we found that WHtR may be a crucial non-invasive screening indicator for preMetS (JCDCG), with its identi cation ability showing no signi cant difference compared to TYG (P < 0.001).…”

Evaluating Neck Circumference as an Independent Predictor of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components Among Adults: A Population-Based Study

“…The relationship between total cholesterol and NC was observed only in men [ 23 ]. However, a study in Lebanon showed that NC was only associated with LDL-C and triglyceride in males and LDL-C, total cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure in females [ 24 ]. Differences observed in studies results could be due to racial and geographic disparities in populations, the method used to measure NC in particular research, and risk factors that have been adjusted in the analyses [ 24 ].…”

“…NC measurement does not have the limitations of waist circumference measurement; it is convenient, reliable, and does not require undressing. This can be helpful in hijab-wearing communities or people with body image issues [ 24 ]. However, the measurement of NC in individuals with thyroid disease and neck masses is limited [ 27 ].…”