Evaluation of neck circumference as an easy and reliable predictor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

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Background/Aims: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)and neck circumference (NC) and to compare the NC predictive value with other anthropometric indices in the prediction of NAFLDand metabolic syndrome (MetS) as well as to find the NC cut-off point for the prediction of NAFLD and MetS in an Iranian population.Materials and Methods: A total of 590 individuals who fulfilled our criteria were enrolled in the study. Anthropometric measurements,physical examinations, and abdominal ultrasonography were performed by trained staff. Blood samples for biochemical tests were alsoobtained after fasting for 12 h.Results: Neck circumference was associated with NAFLD and MetS in both genders (p<0.0001) and remained significant even afteradjustment for possible confounding factors. It was also significantly associated with other anthropometric indices, such as fatty liverseverity, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, systolic anddiastolic blood pressure, and family history of diabetes in both sexes (p<0.05). There was a significant negative correlation betweenhigh-density lipoprotein levels and NC in both sexes (p<0.001).Conclusion: Neck circumference was significantly correlated with NAFLD and MetS. In addition, it had the highest predictive value forNAFLD and MetS among other common anthropometric indices. Therefore, it can be used as a simple and feasible tool for screeningNAFLD in a large population.