Effects of smoking and physical activity on serum uric acid in a Jerusalem population sample

In 932 adult males and 531 adult females, we found large independent correlations of serum uric acid (SUA) with body mass and serum creatinine. In males, but not in females, SUA was lower in smokers than in non-smokers and in men who reported themselves to be physically active, compared to non-active men. After controlling for confounding variables by multiple regression analysis, we found that smoking remained a significant predictor of SUA in males (P = 0.003) but the effects of reported physical activity dropped to borderline significance (P = 0.056). In females, no significant relationship of SUA with reported physical activity was seen. These results, the first from an unselected free-living Israeli population, are generally in agreement with previously reported studies.