Neck circumference and incidence of cerebrovascular disease over 12 years among Korean adults

OBJECTIVES: Neck circumference is associated with a distinctive fat storage process that confers additional metabolic risk. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between baseline neck circumference and the incidence of cerebrovascular disease using a prospective community-based sample of Korean adults over 12 years of follow-up, after controlling for selected covariates. METHODS: Participants with non-cerebrovascular disease were divided into 4 groups (Q1–Q4) based on their baseline neck circumference. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the relationship between neck circumference and cerebrovascular disease incidence over a 12-year period. RESULTS: Among this study’s 3,662 participants, 128 (3.50%) developed cerebrovascular disease. The incidence of cerebrovascular disease increased from 2.2% in Q1 to 4.3% in Q2, 2.5% in Q3, and 5.0% in Q4. When compared to Q1, the relative risks of cerebrovascular disease development were 0.57 (95 % CI, 0.25–1.31), 0.86 (95 % CI, 0.38–1.96), and 0.79 (95 % CI, 0.30–2.07) in man and 1.86 (95 % CI, 0.66–5.20), 3.50 (95 % CI, 1.25–9.86), and 4.71 (95 % CI, 1.50–14.77) in woman in Q2, Q3, and Q4, respectively, after adjusting for most risk factors related to cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSION: The relationship between neck circumference and cerebrovascular disease was stronger in woman than in man, indicating potential differences between the sexes. These results are meaningful for evaluating and surveilling neck circumference as a promising tool for identifying subgroups of vulnerable and at-risk populations.