What your neck size can tell you about your overall health

 

• Doctors are increasingly considering neck circumference relative to their body as a health indicator, moving beyond traditional measures like body mass index (BMI) and waist size to understand fat distribution.

• Research suggests that a larger neck size can predict various health markers, including cardiovascular risk, nutritional status, and even the likelihood of death.

• Studies, such as the long-running Framingham Heart Study, have linked thicker necks to an increased risk of conditions like diabetes, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation (Afib).

• These associations remain significant even when accounting for BMI and waist measurements, indicating that neck size offers unique insights into potential health risks.

• A 2022 study found that men with a neck size of 17 inches or more and women with 14 inches or more faced a higher risk of developing Afib, with the association being strongest among individuals with obesity.

• Scientists believe this could be because fat stored in the upper body releases more fatty acids into the bloodstream compared with fat stored lower down, placing greater strain on the heart.

Why the size of your neck could reveal hidden risks to your heart health


A 2022 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association examined the data from around 4,000 people in the Framingham Heart Study.

The researchers found that men with a neck size of 17 inches or more, and women with 14 inches or more, faced a higher risk of developing Afib compared to those with smaller measurements.

A large neck has also been linked to a higher chance of obstructive sleep apnoea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, which itself raises the likelihood of Afib.

The authors noted that “individuals with high neck circumference had increased risk of incident Afib compared with those with low neck circumference,” and that this was true even after adjusting for BMI, waist circumference, height and weight.

conclusion

Our findings indicate that neck circumference potentially may be used as an easily obtainable measure for assessing risk of incident Afib” the researchers concluded, calling for further studies to explore its role in prevention and treatment.