Neck Circumference Helps Identifying Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea and High Body Mass Index

Overweight in children is most commonly described by using BMI. Because BMI does not adequately describe regional (central) adiposity, other indices of body fatness are being explored.

Neck circumference (NC) is positively associated with obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes, and hypertension in adults. NC also has positive correlation with BMI in adults. The possible role of NC in screening for high BMI in children is not well characterized.

In a recently concluded research study the researchers investigated and examined  the correlation between BMI and NC in children and to determine the best NC cutoff that identifies children with high BMI.

Methods Children who were aged 6 to 18 years and undergoing elective noncardiac surgeries were the subjects of this study. Trained research assistants collected clinical and anthropometric data from all patients.

Researchers calculated Pearson correlation coefficients between NC and other indices of obesity. Determination by receiver operating characteristic analyses the optimal NC cutoff for identifying children with high BMI was also carried out.

Results Among 1102 children, 52% were male. NC was significantly correlated with age, BMI, and waist circumference in both boys and girls, although the correlation was stronger in older children. Optimal NC cutoff indicative of high BMI in boys ranged from 28.5 to 39.0 cm. Corresponding values in girls ranged from 27.0 to 34.6 cm.

The researchers finally concluded that the “Neck Circumference (NC) “  is significantly correlated with indices of adiposity and can reliably identify children with high BMI. NC is a simple technique that has good interrater reliability and could be used to screen for overweight and obesity in children.

Tagged with: BMI • Body Fat • Body Mass Index • Central Adiposity • Childhood Obesity • diabetes • hypertension • Neck Circumference • Obstructive Sleep Apnea • OSA • Overweight • Sleep Apnea • Sleep Apnea Screening • Sleep Apnea Symptoms

Filed under: Diabetes • Hypertension • Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Sleep Apnea • Sleep Apnea Diagnosis • Sleep Apnea Research • Sleep Apnea Study • Sleep Apnea Symptoms

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