Workplace Environment and Lifestyle Factors Associated With Hyperuricemia Risk Among Male Manufacturing Workers: A...

Background Hyperuricemia affects many men in Japan, with the highest prevalence noted among working-age men. Elevated serum uric acid is independently associated with hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and impaired renal function. However, uric acid measurement is not mandated in routine occupational health checkups, making early hyperuricemia detection and intervention inadequate in workplace settings. Moreover, a limited number of studies have comprehensively examined both workplace environment and lifestyle factors associated with serum uric acid levels in a single company. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled male workers at a single manufacturing company in Japan (≥1,000 employees, no night shifts). Of the 872 workers who underwent periodic health checkups in June 2025, 613 were included after excluding women, technical intern trainees, those receiving hyperuricemia treatment, and those whose questionnaire data were incomplete (effective response rate: 70.3%). Participants were classified into normal and high uric acid groups (serum uric acid levels <7.0 and ≥7.0 mg/dL, respectively). Workplace environment factors (job type, lunch type, and fluid intake) and lifestyle factors (breakfast skipping, exercise habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep) assessed using a questionnaire, along with clinical data from health checkups, were compared between the groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with stepwise variable elimination was used to identify factors independently associated with elevated serum uric acid. Results The mean participant age was 39.9 ± 12.6 years, and 126 (20.6%) were classified into the high uric acid group. Compared with the normal group, the high uric acid group showed significantly higher body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, liver function markers (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyl transferase), and creatinine, as well as a significantly higher metabolic syndrome prevalence. Multivariable logistic regression identified smoking (odds ratio or OR: 1.861, 95% confidence interval or CI: 1.124-3.080), skipping breakfast three or more times weekly (OR: 1.684, 95% CI: 1.036-2.737), and ALT (OR: 1.035, 95% CI: 1.022-1.048) as significant risk-increasing factors, and company cafeteria use (OR: 0.528, 95% CI: 0.304-0.919), regular exercise (OR: 0.501, 95% CI: 0.288-0.871), age (OR: 0.952, 95% CI: 0.929-0.976), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (OR: 0.969, 95% CI: 0.950-0.988) as significant risk-reducing factors. Conclusion Company cafeteria use as a workplace environment factor, and exercise habits, breakfast skipping, and smoking as lifestyle factors, were independently associated with hyperuricemia risk among male workers. These findings suggest that promoting company cafeteria use, supporting regular exercise habits, encouraging breakfast consumption, and providing smoking cessation support are specific priorities for reducing hyperuricemia risk among male manufacturing workers. Given that the high uric acid group was relatively young, proactive uric acid screening in periodic health checkups and early interventions targeting younger workers are important priorities for workplace health promotion.