Neck Circumference as a Screening Tool for Obesity in Children: An Analytical Study from India

Abstract

Obesity among children has become one of the most important public health issues in both developed and developing countries. Classical anthropometric indices like body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are commonly employed but have significant limitations with respect to applicability, cultural acceptability, and accuracy. Neck circumference (NC) has also come into focus in recent times as a possibly easier and more stable measure for the identification of overweight and obesity in children. The current study examines the possibility of NC as a screening instrument in a school community in Kochi, Kerala, on 500 children between the age group of 10 to 15 years. The investigation sets up gender-specific cut-off points, examines correlations between NC and BMI, NC and WC, and assesses diagnostic accuracy with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Findings report high correlations of NC with BMI and WC, cut-offs at 32.5 cm for boys and 30.5 cm for girls, and sensitivity greater than 83% and accuracy approximately 75%. The findings confirm NC as a valid, low-cost, non-invasive means of screening for early obesity. The paper puts the study in the context of current literature, highlights its clinical and public health applications, and presents avenues for the incorporation of NC into pediatric obesity assessment procedures.