The accuracy of neck circumference for assessing overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Context: Neck circumference (NC) has been suggested as an alternative measure to screen for excess body weight. Objective: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the accuracy of neck circumference (NC) as a measure for assessing overweight and obesity in both sexes in different age groups. Methods: Detailed individual search strategies were developed for each of the following bibliographic databases: Cochrane, LILACS, PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science. The QUADAS-2 checklist was used to assess the methodology of the studies included. Results: Thirty-eight assessments were performed in 11 articles according to age, sex and weight status. Using sensitivity and specificity, 27 assessments (71.0%) considered NC an accurate measure to diagnose overweight and obesity. The best sensitivity and specificity were found for the age >19 years (82.0%, 82.0%), female (80.0%, 73.0%), and obese (80.0%, 85.0%) categories. Conclusion: NC is an accurate tool for assessing overweight and obesity in males and females of different age groups and could be used to screen for excess body weight in routine medical practice or epidemiological studies. It is also believed that more studies will permit the creation of a reference dataset of NC cut-off values for world populations.

• Publication year

  2017

• Venue

  Annals of Human Biology

• Publication date

  2017-11-01

• Fields of study

  Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1080/03014460.2017.1390153PMID 29037078
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Neck Circumference to Assess Obesity in Preschool Children

  2017influential reference
• Diagnostic performance of neck circumference to identify overweight and obesity as defined by body mass index in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis

  2017cited by this paper
• A comparison of the clinical usefulness of neck circumference and waist circumference in individuals with severe obesity

  2017cited by this paper
• Cutoffs and cardiovascular risk factors associated with neck circumference among community-dwelling elderly adults: a cross-sectional study

  2016cited by this paper
• Neck Circumference as a Useful Marker for Screening Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents.

  2016influential reference
• Psychological consequences of childhood obesity: psychiatric comorbidity and prevention

  2016cited by this paper
• Neck circumference as screening measure for identifying adolescents with overweight and obesity

  2016cited by this paper
• Neck Circumference May Be a Better Alternative to Standard Anthropometric Measures

  2016influential reference
• Efficacy of neck circumference to identify metabolic syndrome in 3-10 year-old European children: Results from IDEFICS study.

  2016cited by this paper
• Neck Circumference in Overweight/Obese Subjects who Visited the Binjai Supermall in Indonesia

  2016influential reference
• Elevated neck circumference and associated factors in adolescents

  2015influential reference
• Neck circumference as a complementary measure to identify excess body weight in children aged 13-24 months

  2015influential reference
• Relationship between Neck Length, Sleep, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

  2015cited by this paper
• Association of Neck Circumference with Obesity in Female College Students

  2015cited by this paper
• Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.

  2014cited by this paper
• Compartmental neck fat accumulation and its relation to cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndrome.

  2014cited by this paper
• 診断精度研究のバイアスリスク評価ツールQUADAS－2：a Revised Tool for the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 の活用

  2014cited by this paper
• A comparison of fat and lean body mass index to BMI for the identification of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents.

  2014cited by this paper
• Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Diagnostic Test Accuracy

  2013cited by this paper
• Neck circumference is correlated with triglycerides and inversely related with HDL cholesterol beyond BMI and waist circumference

  2013cited by this paper
• Neck circumference is an accurate and simple index for evaluating overweight and obesity in Han children

  2012influential reference
• Neck circumference: a useful screening tool of cardiovascular risk in children

  2012cited by this paper
• Neck circumference as a useful marker of obesity: a comparison with body mass index and waist circumference.

  2012cited by this paper
• Prehypertension in children and adolescents: association with body weight and neck circumference.

  2012cited by this paper
• Neck circumference as a predictor of obesity and overweight in rural central India

  2012influential reference
• Neck circumference as a novel parameter to determine metabolic risk factors in obese children

  2012cited by this paper
• Prevalence of habitual snoring in children and occurrence of peri-operative adverse events

  2011cited by this paper
• QUADAS-2: A Revised Tool for the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

  2011cited by this paper
• Childhood obesity and adult morbidities.

  2010cited by this paper
• Neck circumference: an additional tool of screening overweight and obesity in childhood

  2010influential reference
• Sex differences in the association of regional fat distribution with the severity of obstructive sleep apnea.

  2010cited by this paper
• Neck circumference as a novel measure of cardiometabolic risk: the Framingham Heart study.

  2010cited by this paper
• Neck Circumference as a Screening Measure for Identifying Children With High Body Mass Index

  2010influential reference
• Inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability of neck circumference measurements in children

  2009cited by this paper
• Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA Statement

  2009cited by this paper
• Neck circumference as a measure of central obesity: associations with metabolic syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome beyond waist circumference.

  2009cited by this paper
• Relationship of neck circumference to cardiovascular risk factors.

  2003cited by this paper
• Report from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Workshop on use of adult anthropometry for public health and primary health care.

  2001cited by this paper
• Neck circumference as a simple screening measure for identifying overweight and obese patients.

  2001influential reference
• Obesity : Preventing and managing the global epidemic

  2000cited by this paper
• Clinical guideline of the identificatin, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults

  1998cited by this paper

• Validity of non‐traditional measures of obesity compared to total body fat across the life course: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Association between adherence to Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet with sleep quality, sleep duration, inflammation, and oxidative stress among Iranian adults

  2025cites this paper
• Loss of neuromonitoring signal in thyroid surgery: predictive factors and surgical strategies

  2025cites this paper
• Evaluation and Use of Neck Circumference in Assessing Obesity in Korean Adolescents

  2025cites this paper
• Correlation of Anthropometry With Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

  2025cites this paper
• Neck circumference as a complementary measure for identifying excess body weight in children aged from 2 to 9 years

  2025cites this paper
• Effects of a Multidimensional Exercise and Mindfulness Approach Targeting Physical, Psychological, and Functional Outcomes: Protocol for the BACKFIT Randomized Controlled Trial with an Active Control Group

  2025cites this paper
• Circunferência do pescoço como medida complementar para identificar excesso de peso em crianças de 2 a 9 anos de idade

  2025cites this paper
• Türkiye Consensus Report on the Multidisciplinary Obesity Treatment in Adults

  2025cites this paper
• The discriminatory ability of wrist and neck circumference in predicting insulin resistance in overweight and obese children

  2025cites this paper
• Evolving perspectives on evaluating obesity: from traditional methods to cutting-edge techniques

  2025cites this paper
• The Role of Neck Circumference in Predicting Body Fat Distribution: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Healthy Female Medical Students

  2025cites this paper
• Neck circumference is a highly reliable anthropometric measure in older adults requiring long-term care

  2024cites this paper
• Assessment of obesity indices and disease severity in male patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a cross-sectional study

  2024cites this paper
• Association between sexual maturation with neck circumference and body mass index in Brazilian schoolchildren

  2024cites this paper
• Multimodal intervention based on physical exercise, mindfulness, behaviour change and education to improve pain and health in patients with chronic primary low back pain: a study protocol of the HEALTHYBACK randomised controlled trial

  2024cites this paper
• Predição de síndrome metabólica e seus fatores de risco associados em pacientes com doença renal crônica utilizando técnicas de machine learning

  2024cites this paper
• Prediction of metabolic syndrome and its associated risk factors in patients with chronic kidney disease using machine learning techniques

  2024cites this paper
• The impact of neck circumference on hypoglossal nerve stimulator therapy outcomes

  2024cites this paper
• Anxiety, depression, and brain overwork in the general population of Mongolia

  2024cites this paper
• Neck Circumference as a Predictor of Insulin Resistance in People with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

  2023cites this paper
• Are the different cut-off points for sitting time associated with excess weight in adults? A population based study in Latin America

  2023cites this paper
• Association between Neck Circumference and Serum Uric Acid Level in Korean Adults over 40 Years Old: Based on the 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

  2023cites this paper
• Effects of opioid-free propofol or remimazolam balanced anesthesia on hypoxemia incidence in patients with obesity during gastrointestinal endoscopy: A prospective, randomized clinical trial

  2023cites this paper
• Neck Circumference is Associated with General and Central Obesity in Young Indian Adults

  2023cites this paper
• Association between neck circumference and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  2023cites this paper
• Cost effective and adaptable measures of estimation of visceral adiposity

  2023cites this paper
• Diet in relation to Metabolic, sleep and psychological health Status (DiMetS): protocol for a cross-sectional study

  2023cites this paper
• Relationship Between DASH Diet Adherence and Sleep Patterns, Inflammatory Markers, and Oxidative Stress in Iranian Adults

  2023cites this paper
• The Predictive Role of the Upper-Airway Adipose Tissue in the Pathogenesis of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

  2022cites this paper
• Neck circumference cut-off points for detecting overweight and obesity among school children in Northern Cyprus

  2022cites this paper
• Mid-upper arm circumference and neck circumference to screen for overweight-obesity in young adults in South India

  2022cites this paper
• Hyperuricémies non goutteuses

  2022cites this paper
• Neck circumference as a screening measure for identifying NAFLD among a group of academic employees in Bangkok, Thailand

  2022cites this paper
• The performance of mid-upper arm circumference for identifying children and adolescents with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  2022cites this paper
• The interaction between Alternative Healthy Eating Index and MC4R rs17782313 gene variants on central and general obesity indices in women: a cross-sectional study.

  2022cites this paper
• Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis The performance of mid-upper arm circumference for identifying children and adolescents with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  2022cites this paper
• Associations between neck circumference and markers of dysglycemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and dysmetabolism independent of Body Mass Index in an Emirati population

  2022cites this paper
• Neck circumference and cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents: the moderator role of cardiorespiratory fitness

  2021cites this paper
• Significance and agreement between obesity anthropometric measurements and indices in adults: a population-based study from the United Arab Emirates

  2021cites this paper
• Neck Circumference Cut-Off for Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Nigeria.

  2021cites this paper
• Association between neck circumference and the risk of decreased estimated glomerular �ltration rate in the general population of China: a cross-sectional study

  2020cites this paper
• Association between neck circumference and the risk of decreased estimated glomerular �ltration rate in the general population of China: a cross-sectional study

  2020cites this paper
• Association between Neck Circumference and the Risk of Decreased Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in the General Population of China: A Cross-Sectional Study

  2020cites this paper
• Neck circumference and success in the weight-reducing treatment of patients with obesity: a real-life study

  2020cites this paper
• Neck circumference is an independent risk factor for hyperuricemia within 3 years in women: a longitudinal study

  2020cites this paper
• Neck circumference is associated with adipose tissue content in thigh skeletal muscle in overweight and obese premenopausal women

  2020cites this paper
• [Anthropometric profile and prevalence of overweight and obesity in Costa Rican urban population (aged 20-65 years old) by sex group: results from the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health].

  2020influential citation
• Diagnostic Performance of Neck Circumference and Cut-off Values for Identifying Overweight and Obese Pakistani Children: A Receiver Operating Characteristic Analysis

  2020cites this paper
• Correlation between Neck Circumference and Pulse Wave Velocity: A Population-based Study

  2020cites this paper
• Association of Neck Circumference with Anthropometric Indicators and Body Composition Measured by DXA in Young Spanish Adults

  2020cites this paper
• OBEDIS Core Variables Project: European Expert Guidelines on a Minimal Core Set of Variables to Include in Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trials of Obesity Interventions

  2020cites this paper
• Core Project European Expert Guidelines on a Minimal Core Set of Variables to Include in Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trials of Obesity Interventions

  2020cites this paper
• Accuracy of neck circumference for diagnosing overweight in six- and seven-year-old children

  2020cites this paper
• Role of neck circumference in measuring obesity in healthy adults

  2019cites this paper
• Perímetro de cuello y éxito del tratamiento de pacientes con obesidad: estudio de vida real.

  2019cites this paper
• Development of a Computational Model to Predict Excess Body Fat in Adolescents through Low Cost Variables

  2019cites this paper
• CIRCUNFERÊNCIA DO PESCOÇO: NOVA MEDIDA ANTROPOMÉTRICA PARA RASTREAMENTO DA SÍNDROME METABÓLICA EM ADOLESCENTES

  2019cites this paper
• Anthropometric measurements as a potential non-invasive alternative for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome in adolescents

  2019cites this paper
• Neck Circumference: A valid anthropometric tool to predict Obesity in Adults of Davanagere, South India

  2019cites this paper
• Association Between Neck Circumference and Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

  2019influential citation
• The association of neck circumference with risk of metabolic syndrome and its components in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

  2018cites this paper
• Evaluation of anthropometric parameters of central obesity in Pakistani children aged 5–12 years, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis

  2018cites this paper
• Neck circumference and blood pressure among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

  2018cites this paper