Overweight and obesity are still major public health problems and an important criterion for predicting chronic dis-eases. Neck circumference (NC) is an important anthropometric measurement and an indicator of upper body subcutane-ous adipose tissue distribution. The present study proposes NC as a useful screening measure of overweight and obesity as compared to the conventional anthropometric variables used among the Indian adults. In this cross-sectional study 144 Marwari adult population (Males-72, Females-72) were selected from Saltlake, Kolkata, India through purposive random sampling. Measurements like height, weight, Mid Upper-Arm Circumference (MUAC) and neck circumference (NC) were collected by standard procedures. The body mass index (BMI) was calculated and prevalence of overweight and obesity was assessed using standard cut-offs. The various statistical tests like t-test, Pearson’s correlation and ANOVA were performed. The mean values of MUAC, BMI and NHtR were observed to be significantly higher in females than in males. The prevalence of obesity using BMI was 20.8% in males and 75.0% in females and this was found to be statistically significant. The prevalence of obesity using NC and NHtR was observed to be significantly higher in females than in males. For both males and females, a strong positive statistically significant correlation is observed between weight, MUAC, BMI, NHtR and NC. The association of anthropometric variables with age groups (ANOVA)was found to be statistically significant in females with respect to NC, NHtR and weight, MUAC and BMI. Thus, NC seems to be a simple, accessible anthropometric measurement and a good predictor of excessive adiposity. that can be used indepen-dently as a screening measure for the assessment of obesity. © 2018, Croatian Anthropological Society. All rights reserved.