Healthy living
Body matters
Neck pointer to heart health
People with thicker necks may be more prone to developing heart problems, say researchers from the Framingham Heart Study in the US
Previous research has linked wider waists with cardiovascular disease, but now it appears that the width of a person’s neck may be just as revealing.
The researchers looked at 3,320 men and women aged around 50. They found that even those people with relatively slim waists were more at risk of heart problems if they had fat deposits around the neck.
The team found that people with fatter necks had lower levels of good 'HDL' (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and higher levels of blood glucose – both factors associated with 'metabolic syndrome' – a collection of symptoms known to increase the risk of heart disease. The results showed that the risk increased with expanding neck size.
The study found that the average neck circumference was 34.2cm for women and 40.5cm for men. With every 3 cm added to the neck size the level of good HDL cholesterol dropped by 2.2 mg per decilitre of blood for men and 2.7 mg per decilitre for women and blood glucose levels increased in men by 3.0mg and in women by 2.1mg.
The results suggest that measuring the thickness of a person’s neck could provide clues to a person’s heart health in the same way as measuring fat around the waist.
Professor Jimmy Bell, who heads up the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Medicine team for the Medical Research Council, says that while an expanding girth is best avoided even people who look trim can sometimes be hiding unhealthy levels of internal fat.
"Looking at fat in the neck may be an indicator of abnormal, unhealthy fat distribution in the rest body – including hidden visceral fat around the heart and in the gut," says Bell. "You can appear trim around the middle and still carry dangerous levels of internal fat."
Studies have found that internal or visceral fat that sits around the organs of the body like the heart, liver and pancreas increases the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is not known exactly why this internal fat is so harmful but scientists believe that it may produce chemicals that disrupt the normal functioning of the body’s organs.
"Looking slim should not be equated with being healthy," says Bell. "You can’t shift internal fat through dieting alone – it is essential to exercise too. The key is to choose a healthy lifestyle combining good diet with regular physical activity."
Cathy Ross, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, is keen that people still keep an eye on their expanding waistlines.
"Waist circumference is a good indication of the amount of fat you are carrying around your body," says Ross, "It is easy to get out the tape measure, see if you are above the healthy limit and make the necessary lifestyle changes to slim down and improve your health."
For free support and advice plus a free pack with a 'heart risk' tape measure join Heart Matters at the British Heart Foundation www.bhf.org.uk.
Useful links
- What you need to know about cholesterol
- Your top 10 heart health questions answered
- All about blood pressure
- What's your risk of heart disease?
- Bloop pressure: know your numbers
- Cholesterol: can you cut yours?
- AMD linked to heart attack and strokes
- Painful neck? It could be pushing up your blood pressure
- Large waist size increases risk of Alzheimer's disease
- Why is that waistband so tight?
- Do you need to lose weight? Visit our diet and weight loss section for information and inspiration
- Chat about health at Saga Zone
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
