Association between serum uric acid and obesity

Abstract EN

Background : Hyperuricemia is commonly associated with dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery diseases and hypertension.

As these diseases are also commonly associated with obesity, so need arises to see whether there is any independent association between serum uric acid and obesity.

Objective : This study aimed to estimate the association between serum uric acid and obesity.

Methods : A cross-sectional study was performed included a convenient sample of 150 outpatients visiting Al-Kadhimia teaching hospital (77 males and 73 females) aged 20-70 years.

Blood samples were collected from the subjects and serum uric acid was estimated.

Body mass index was calculated and patients were categorized as normal weight, overweight and obese according to body mass index scale.

Results : The results showed that serum uric acid was significantly higher in males than females (p = 0.008).

Serum uric acid levels had been increased significantly with advancing age (p<0.001).

This study showed a highly significant positive linear correlation between subjects’ serum uric acid levels and their body mass index (r = 0.798, p < 0.001).

Conclusion : It was concluded that there is a significant positive association between serum uric acid and obesity.

Therefore it is important to establish preventive measures towards reducing obesity and overweight rather than treating health consequences, such as elevated serum uric acid.