Circunferência do pescoço: evidências científicas da correlação com marcadores antropométricos de risco cardiometabólico e acurácia diagnóstica

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate and synthesize scientific evidence regarding the correlation between neck circumference (NC) and anthropometric markers of cardiometabolic risk, as well as its diagnostic accuracy for use in clinical practice. This is a literature review conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases, covering the period from 2010 to 2026. Keywords related to neck circumference, cardiometabolic risk, and obesity were used, combined with Boolean operators. After applying the eligibility criteria, the quartiles of the journals in which the selected articles were investigated. Only those classified in quartiles Q1 and Q2 (highest citation and impact in the field) were selected. Fourteen studies were included, covering populations across different life stages, with ages ranging from 6 to 80 years, totaling approximately 50,296 participants. A consistent positive correlation was observed between the CPe and body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), with magnitudes ranging from moderate to very strong. The diagnostic accuracy of NC varied from moderate to excellent, with area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.693 to 0.983 in children and adolescents, and from 0.620 to 0.883 in adults and the elderly. Overall, the measurement showed high sensitivity and variable specificity, reflecting the heterogeneity of the outcomes and diagnostic criteria adopted. It is concluded that neck circumference constitutes a useful anthropometric indicator for identifying adiposity and cardiometabolic risk, with potential application as a complementary screening tool in different clinical and epidemiological contexts.