Neck size may reveal more about your health than you realise, say doctors

Doctors highlight that a thicker neck may reflect hidden fat distribution in the body, raising chances of insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease

We often hear about watching our waistline or keeping an eye on our body mass index (BMI), but what if your neck size could be just as telling? Doctors and researchers are now finding that the size of your neck may offer important insight into your health.

 

Surprising as it may sound, the thickness of your neck could hold clues about your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic conditions.

 

Why neck size matters

 

The fat stored around your neck isn’t just sitting there quietly. It is considered metabolically active, meaning it can release hormones and inflammatory markers that affect how your body processes sugar and fats.

 

 

"Neck circumference serves as a proxy for visceral fat. Large neck circumference has been linked with many problems like Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 and Sleep Apnea. So what is the cause? The biological mechanism is that neck fat releases fatty acids in the blood which interferes with the cholesterol and blood sugar metabolism. This increases the free fatty acids and inflammatory substances, they cause chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance. This mechanism links neck circumference to heart diseases," explained Dr Prashant Pawar, consultant-interventional cardiology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital.

 

"Increased neck circumference is associated with hypertension, heart failure risk, and atrial fibrillation (arrhythmia) risk. Larger necks are associated more with obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder," added Dr Sabyasachi Pal, intervention cardiologist at BM Birla Heart Hospital.

 

Why BMI alone doesn’t tell the full story

 

BMI and waist circumference are well-known indicators of obesity-related health risks. But both have their limitations.

 

BMI, for instance, doesn’t distinguish between fat and muscle, and waist measurements can be affected by posture, clothing or even by the fact that you’ve just eaten. Neck circumference, on the other hand, is easy to measure and less prone to daily fluctuations.

 

"BMI alone cannot distinguish between muscle or fat. Neither it can be an indicator of where the fat is stored. So BMI alone cannot distinguish whether it is just because of muscle or because it is fat. Second, many times, especially in pregnant ladies or obese patients, BMI may not accurately reflect health status or cardiovascular risk. So in these cases neck circumference remains a fairly good indicator for heart diseases," said Dr Pawar.

 

"Recently there have been strong questions regarding the authenticity of BMI as an obesity index. As there's no comparative trial data available till date between neck size and other obesity parameters, it's difficult to opine regarding its superiority among others," added Dr Pal.

 

However, combining BMI with neck circumference can improve the accuracy of identifying individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in its early stages.

 

What counts as a ‘high-risk’ neck size?

 

"Studies have shown that in men it is 43 cm (17 inches) and in females it is 35 cm (15.5 inches) of neck circumference. That is the cut off beyond which it is linked with heart diseases. It varies with ethnicity, age, and patients who have underlying PCOD, but long term data is not available," Dr Pawar told Business Standard.

 

Adding to the point Dr Pal said, “There is no Indian registry for ideal neck size, but in general, 35 cm (13.7 inches) for men and 32 cm (12.6 inches) for women are considered normal. An Asian study found that cardiovascular risk increases when neck circumference, measured at the most prominent part of the neck at the thyroid cartilage, is more than 38.5 cm (15.1 inches) in men and 35.5 cm (14 inches) in women.”

 

Neck size with other markers: Clearer risk assessment

 

Doctors often use a combination of factors like cholesterol levels, blood pressure, lifestyle habits, and family history, to gauge someone’s health risks. Adding neck circumference into this mix may give a more accurate snapshot of overall risk.

 

"Right now, the research is still pretty new, and we don’t have many long-term studies to fully support these findings. For stronger evidence, future studies need to be statistically significant and track people over a longer period to see how neck circumference truly relates to heart disease. It would be great to combine this with other tests like cholesterol and lipid profiles, or imaging like CT scans or CT Coronary Angiography, to get a clearer picture of the exact connection between neck circumference and heart health," said Dr Pawar.

 

Can you shrink your neck size?

 

The good news is that neck size, like other body measurements, can be reduced with lifestyle changes.

 

Dr Pawar explained, "All kinds of cardio and weight training exercises are great for reducing upper body fat. But the most important part is maintaining a balanced diet - one that’s rich in proteins, fruits, vegetables, and pulses. This helps cut down on junk calories and keeps you feeling full and energized. It’s also a good idea to reduce your intake of carbs and focus more on regular cardio workouts to stay healthy and support fat loss." 

 

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This report is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.