The Neck Circumference As A Screening Tool In Childhood Obesity Public Health Implications: A Focal Analysis Of The School Based Health Interventions In The City Of Kochi, India.

Abstract

Childhood obesity is one of the growing problems where the rates of prevalence have been increasing both in developed and developing countries. As much as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are the traditional measures applied in screening obesity, they are limited in the practical scenario, especially where the population is large and resources are limited. Due to its simplicity, low cost and easy measurement, neck circumference (NC) has emerged as a potential screening tool in the detection of obesity. This was a case-control study conducted at Kochi, Kerala, to determine the utility of NC as a community health intervention to determine overweight and obesity among 10-15 years. It analyses gender specific cut-off values, accuracy of diagnosis and the incorporation of NC in to schools health programs. The findings suggest that NC is a reliable, culturally acceptable and practical alternative to BMI and WC that have extensive implications with respect to the early diagnosis and intervention of obesity in the early childhood obesity.