Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the reference non-invasive measure of aortic stiffness and provides prognostic information beyond conventional cardiovascular risk factors [1,2]. Obesity is heterogeneous: individuals with a similar body mass index (BMI) may differ substantially in fat distribution, lean mass, insulin sensitivity, and cardiometabolic risk [3]. Waist-based and height-standardized measures can therefore complement BMI by capturing central body shape, while neck anthropometry may reflect upper-body adiposity [4,5].
