Association between neck circumference and visceral adiposity index among adults in rural Thailand
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The visceral adiposity index (VAI) is an indicator of visceral fat dysfunction associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Neck circumference (NC) is a common anthropometric measure of upper-body fat. This study evaluated the association between NC and VAI in a rural Thai population using data from the Health Outcomes and Risk Factors in Rural Communities in Thailand (HARRIT) study (2017-2022). Elevated VAI was defined as > 2.98, while a large NC was considered ≥ 35 cm in men and ≥ 32 cm in women. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between NC and VAI. The study included 2,160 adults with a mean age of 55.6 years, 65.5% of whom were women. The average NC was 33.6 cm, and 63.4% of participants had a large NC. The mean VAI was 6.3, with 75.5% classified as having an elevated VAI. A large NC was significantly associated with a higher VAI (adjusted β = 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.91-2.71). Participants with a large NC had a 26% higher prevalence of elevated VAI (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR] = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.19-1.33). For individuals under 60, the APR was 1.33 (95% CI: 1.23-1.44); for those aged 60 and above, it was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26). In conclusion, NC is positively associated with VAI among rural Thai adults. This highlights the need for further research to explore the relationship between NC and ASCVD outcomes and to establish sex- and age-specific NC cutoffs.
Source: Scientific Reports
Institution: Phramongkutklao College of Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W4415992532