title: Neck Circumference as a Useful Marker for Screening Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Overweight and obesity at an early age are an important criterion for predicting chronic diseases. Each anthropometric method available to assess obesity has its limitations. Recently, one of the indices proposed to better detect this complication is neck circumference (NC). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between NC, and body mass index (BMI), and to find a cutoff NC size to identify children with a high BMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 864 students aged 6-17 years from the schools in Ahvaz, Iran. Measurements, including height, weight, neck, mid-arm, and waist circumference (WC), and clinical information were collected by trained physicians. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated between NC and other obesity indices, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the best cutoff value of NC in predicting high BMI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NC in both genders was significantly correlated with BMI, WC, and mid-arm circumference. The best cutoff value of NC to identify boys with a high BMI was 27.5-38.3 cm, and for girls was 26.7-33.4 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NC is significantly correlated with overweight and obesity. It can be used with great reliability to screen overweight and obesity in children, and to identify those with a high BMI.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Abuzar Children's Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Abuzar Children's Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Tahereh Ziaei
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Kajbaf
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Abuzar Children's Hospital, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aminzadeh
keywords: Body Mass Index; Neck Circumference; Obesity; Overweight; Waist Circumference