Neck circumference as a screening measure for identifying NAFLD among a group of academic employees in Bangkok, Thailand

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 17;17(2):e0263826. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263826. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Neck circumference (NC) reflects the fat deposition in upper body and has potential to be used as a predictor of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Our objectives were to examine the association of NC with NAFLD prevalence, and to determine the optimal cut-off of NC in identifying the presence of NAFLD among the employees of an academic institution in Bangkok, Thailand. In this cross-sectional study, 635 employees of an academic institution underwent anthropometric measurement and transient elastography following an overnight fast. NAFLD was defined as a CAP value >238 dB.m-1. The NAFLD prevalence in men and women were 66.17% and 46.22%, respectively. The mean NCs for men and women with NAFLD were higher (38.53±0.31 cm and 35.83±0.48 cm, respectively) than those without NAFLD (33.58±0.24 and 31.098±0.14 cm, respectively) (p<0.001). Metabolic markers including age, weight, BMI, NC, WC, WHR, FBS, triglycerides were significantly higher, HDL was significantly lower among participants with NAFLD compared to those without NAFLD (p<0.05). NC was independently associated with NAFLD among women with OR (95%CI) of 1.17 (1.05, 1.32). The optimal cut-offs of NC to predict NAFLD were 37.07 cm (sensitivity: 70.50%; specificity: 68.90%) and 32.07 cm (sensitivity: 70.70%; specificity: 62.10%), respectively for men and women. NC significantly correlated with NAFLD in women. The optimal cut-off points of 32 cm and 37 cm for men and women, which similar to Chinese populations. Therefore, it can be used as a cost-effective tool to predict NAFLD. Trial Registration: Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR20210329006).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Academic Medical Centers
  • Body Mass Index*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Elasticity Imaging Techniques
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / diagnosis*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Cirrhosis / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / methods*
  • Metabolic Syndrome / physiopathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / diagnosis*
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / epidemiology
  • Obesity / physiopathology*
  • Prognosis
  • Thailand / epidemiology
  • Waist Circumference*

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Ratchadapiseksompotch Fund, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, grant number RA62/116, the Ratchadapisek Sompoch Endowment Fund (2021) under Telehealth Cluster, Chulalongkorn University and Center of Excellence in Hepatitis and Liver Cancer, Chulalongkorn University. This research was also supported by the Medical Food Research group, Chulalongkorn University.