Is a Large Neck Circumference a Risk Factor for Male Infertility in the Turkish Population?

Abstract

Abstract Background Currently, the potential role of obesity on semen quality has not yet been fully elucidated. In recent years, alternative anthropometric measurements to body mass index (BMI), which more reflect of body fat distribution, have been established to estimate central adiposity. The association between neck circumference (NC), a novel index of central adiposity, and semen quality has not been explored yet. Objective The present study aimed to reveal the potential of NC to predict male infertility. Subjects and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including 4739 male participants aged 17–55 years. Semen parameters included sperm concentration, total count, total motility, progressive motility, rapid progressive motility and vitality. As anthropometric measurements of obesity, BMI and central obesity indices including waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHpR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and NC were examined. The predictive potentials of obesity indices for low semen parameters were evaluated by Receiver Operating Characteristics curve analysis. The associations of obesity indices with semen parameters were analyzed by binary logistic regression analyze after adjusting potential confounders. Results Patients with lower semen parameters had higher anthropometric obesity indices than those with normal parameters. The obesity indices had predictive potentials for low semen parameters, excluding WHpR for sperm concentration and, BMI and HC for rapid progressive motility. After adjusting for confounders, the strongest associations were found between HC with sperm count parameters, WC and WHtR with sperm vitality and motility parameters and NC with rapid progressive motility (OR: 2.37, 95% CI: 2.02–2.79, p < .001). Conclusions Obesity, particularly central obesity plays important a role in male infertility. The distribution of adipose tissue appears to may have specific roles on sperm functions, resulting in different fertility markers may be affected. A larger NC may be a risk factor for male infertility, specifically low sperm rapid progressive motility.