Neck Circumference and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Chinese Elderly Individuals: A Community-Based Cohort Study

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate whether neck circumference (NC) was associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes in Chinese elderly individuals. Methods: A community-based cohort study was conducted on elderly inhabitants in Shanghai with a mean age of 71.0 +/- 5.8 years (n = 2,646). Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between NC and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, while a Cox regression model was used to determine the association between NC and the incidence of type 2 diabetes after a follow-up of 2 years. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that a larger NC was significantly associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes in men (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.31; p = 0.001) and women (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13-1.38; p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis revealed that NC was independently associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes in both men (hazard ratio [HR] 1.14, 95% CI 1.05-1.23; p = 0.002) and women (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.10-1.27; p < 0.001). Conclusions: A larger NC was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in Chinese elderly individuals. However, studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up durations are needed to definitively determine the relationship between NC and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.