Research has concluded that the size of your neck could indicate if you’re more likely to experience blood clots and coronary heart disease in your later life.
Despite doctors relying on Body Mass Index (BMI) as a sole measure of health for years, the consensus is that the method is relatively outdated - this is because it fails to account for muscle, ethnicity, or individual lifestyle factors.
Instead, practitioners use the value alongside other measurements, such as chest-to-waist and waist-to-hip ratios, as well as body shape assessments.
This quartet is used to assess overall health and obesity risk—but now, there's a potential fifth measure to consider.
Neck circumference increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases
Research has shown that a person's neck circumference relative to their body size offers an effective measure of upper-body fat distribution.
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People with more fat on their upper bodies will see more fatty acids being released into their bloodstream compared with fat stored lower down, placing greater strain on the heart, The Independent wrote.
These acids can interfere with your body’s management of cholesterol, blood sugar, and heart rhythm, as per Science Alert.
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Moreover, a 2022 study published in the Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases journal found that neck circumference was significantly associated with the risk of future cardiovascular problems developing in middle-aged and elderly populations.
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These issues included hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AFib), and heart failure.
AFib is a type of heart rhythm problem where sufferers experience an irregular heartbeat, sometimes with it pumping faster than 100 beats per minute.
Treatments include medicines like beta blockers, which work to control the rate and rhythm of your heart, and ablation, a surgical procedure to burn or freeze a section of the organ.
The condition can lead to the development of blood clots and stroke, and in rare cases, heart failure and death.
Diabetes could be a thick neck side effect
But a thick neck doesn’t just indicate cardiovascular issues - it also leads to an increased chance of developing type 2 and gestational diabetes, according to experts.
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Type 2 diabetes affects around 5.6 million people in the UK, with rates rising, as per the NHS.
Common symptoms include feeling tired, numbness and tinging of the fingers and toes, as well as unexplained weight loss and blurred vision.
Large neck circumference can cause sleep issues
In 2016, scientists running The Sleep Heart Health Study found that, instead of general obesity, neck circumference is the strongest predictor of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
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This sleep-related condition sees people repeatedly stop and start breathing while they sleep, due to throat muscles relaxing and blocking their airways.
One of the main signs of OSA is snoring, a noisy practice that affects around 40 percent of UK-based adults, as per Harley Street ENT Clinic.
What is considered a ‘risky’ neck circumference?
Women whose neck circumference is greater than 16 inches are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, OSA, and/or cardiovascular issues.
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Men whose neck measures more than 17 inches are also likely to develop the same health problems.
How to reduce neck circumference
The London-based Cadogan Clinic has outlined various ways you can reduce upper-body fat, including cutting back on sugary drinks, increasing the amount of exercise you do, and eating a balanced, healthy diet that includes eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Some people also swear by using tools like a Gua sha, a type of pseudomedicine that sees an object being scraped along the skin.
Gua sha benefits include improving circulation and reducing inflammation; however, scientific research is limited, so take the practice with a pinch of salt.
Ella Scott