Association between Neck Circumference and Thyroid Disease: Findings of a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Korea

There were contradictory reports about the relationship between neck circumference (NC) and thyroid status. This study aimed to compare the NCs of Korean adults with or without thyroid disease.

The data of 8,198 subjects (aged 40–80 yr) that participated in the 2019-2020 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were subjected to analysis. NCs were measured by trained staff to an accuracy of ±0.1 cm with a tape measure. Multiple logistic models were used to assess the prevalence of thyroid disease by NC level among men and pre- and postmenopausal women.

Approximately 5% of subjects had a history of thyroid disease. In contrast to men and postmenopausal women, premenopausal women with a larger NC had a significantly higher prevalence of thyroid disease (P-value=0.025).

A large NC is significantly associated with thyroid disease among premenopausal Korean women.