Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus type 2 and obesity are interdependent chronic disorders. Various anthropometric parameters (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], and waist-hip ratio [WHR]) have been used to determine body fat accumulation, which are useful as predictors of diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and other cardiovascular risks. Upper body fat deposition is another locus of body fat which has been the area of active research with important cardiovascular and metabolic consequences. Neck circumference (NC) is a simple and easy to use anthropometric parameter which can be a useful indicator of upper body fat distribution.

Aims and Objectives: This study was done to study the usefulness of NC as a measure of obesity/overweight in Type 2 diabetes patients.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done at a rural tertiary care hospital in North India. 400 patients of diabetes mellitus were enrolled for the study. Anthropometric parameters (NC, BMI, WC, and W/H ratio) and cardiometabolic parameters (blood pressure, lipid profile, and blood glucose) were measured in all the subjects.

Results: In both males and females, NC was significantly higher in overweight/obese patients than normal-weight patients (P < 0.01). Significant positive correlation was observed between NC and other anthropometric parameters (including BMI, WC, and WHR) and cardiometabolic factors (including systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol).

Conclusion: NC is a convenient and effective tool to predict overweight/obesity in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Key words: Neck Circumference; Obesity; Body Mass Index; Diabetes Mellitus