Predictability of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome by Neck Circumference in Nigerian Adolescents with Obesity.

Background Metabolic syndrome is a rapidly emerging global health challenge characterized cardiometabolic risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. While manifesting majorly in adults, evidence suggests these risk factors emerge in childhood. Neck circumference, has shown promise as a simple, inexpensive, and non-invasive screening tool for obesity and related risks in adolescents, though its relationship with metabolic syndrome risk factors remains unclear. Objectives To evaluate the association of neck circumference (NC) with obesity and cardio-metabolic risk factors in Nigerian adolescents with and without obesity. Methods A study was conducted among 250 adolescents aged 10 to 19 years (125 with obesity and 125 without). Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure and pulse rate were measured. Venous samples were obtained for fasting plasma lipids [Total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein – cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein – cholesterol (LDL-C), Triglycerides (TG)] and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) estimation. Results There were 24 (19.2%) males and 101 (80.8%) females in each group, giving a male to female ratio of 1: 4.2. Median (SD) age for the adolescents with and without obesity was 15.69 (2.24) and 15.74 (2.25) years respectively. Neck circumference correlated positively with weight ( r  = 0.265, p  = 0.003), height ( r  = 0.222, p  = 0.013), and BMI ( r  = 0.209, p  = 0.019) but not with waist circumference ( r  = 0.167, p  = 0.063) in adolescents with obesity. There was no relationship between neck circumference and TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, or FPG in either of the two groups of adolescents. Conclusions From this study, neck circumference can predict obesity but not central obesity and other cardiometabolic risks in Nigerian adolescents.