New Way of Measuring Body Fat

The measurement most often quoted in terms of overweight and obesity is body mass index, though taking a BMI measurement is inexpensive and easy, it has been widely criticized for not being an accurate way of measuring body fat... a flawed, limited measurement. Still many doctors use this ratio of weight to height to gauge your weight. Trouble is, if you're an athlete, or very muscular your BMI might fall into an unhealthy category. For older adults BMI is likely to underestimate your total body fat.

One of the biggest shortcomings to BMI is that it doesn't give an accurate measure of central body fatness. And since the pounds that come from excess body fat (not the larger muscles) are the trouble, experts have been looking for more precise and practical ways to measure levels of fat in the body.

Measurements of the neck can do this.

A new study examined the idea that measuring neck circumference might have value in screening youngsters for extra pounds. Earlier studies have focused on exploring the connection between the neck circumference and potential obesity as well as heart problems in adults.

In this latest work, a team assessed a group of 1,102 children and teens who were undergoing surgery, recording standard measures like height, weight and neck circumference in an effort to see if this measurement could be a way to determine obesity in the young.

They saw that neck circumference correlated with BMI and waist size in both sexes and all age groups from 6 to 18. As an example, a 6 year old boy with a neck measurement over 11.2 inches was 3.6 times more likely to be either overweight or obese using BMI than a child of the same age who had a smaller neck circumference. Using these measurements the researchers pinpointed optimal cutoff points at which children could be considered at risk for added weight.

Neck circumference was also found to be helpful in identifying kids at risk for sleep apnea. Obesity, and particularly weight in the upper body, are risks for this condition.

Research has found that regional adiposity, also known as fat around the middle, is a solid indicator of the risk for obesity related complications like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. The correlation between this type of fat deposit and neck circumference is strong. Used with BMI, it gives a doctor good clues about a child's fat deposits. What's more, the measurement is quick, easy and comfortable for the patient.

Patient comfort is one of this method's of measuring body fat strongest points. Unlike the waist-to-hip ratio, there's no question where to put the tape, no awkwardness for the patient and no variation in readings. For these reasons, plus the invaluable information on fat placement in the body, neck circumference is likely to become another initial screening tool, alongside BMI and waist-to-hip ratio, that can give a medical professional a more accurate picture of weight and the location of fat in the body. It's important to remember that like obesity itself, a wider neck measurement is associated with things like sleep apnea, hypertension and diabetes. All unpleasant, life-altering conditions best prevented.