ASSOCIATION OF LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS WITH SERUM URIC ACID LEVELS AMONG NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Lifestyle behaviors including physical activity, dietary habits, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking influence serum uric acid levels. However, the collective impact of these factors among young Nigerian adults remains poorly characterized. This study investigated the association between lifestyle behaviors (physical exercise, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking) and serum uric acid levels among apparently healthy Medical Laboratory Science students at the University of Jos, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 100 students assessed lifestyle behaviors through structured questionnaires. Serum uric acid was measured using the enzymatic uricase-peroxidase method. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with SPSS version 21. The majority of participants engaged in regular physical exercise (75%), while 21% consumed alcohol and only 3% smoked cigarettes. Mean serum uric acid levels were comparable between exercisers (5.1 ± 1.3 mg/dL) and non-exercisers (5.0 ± 1.9 mg/dL; p = .813). Similarly, no significant differences were observed between alcohol consumers (4.9 ± 1.7 mg/dL) and non-consumers (5.1 ± 1.4 mg/dL; p = .834), nor between smokers (6.1 ± 2.1 mg/dL) and non-smokers (5.1 ± 1.5 mg/dL; p = .415). Among alcohol consumers, 71.4% preferred beer, which has the highest purine content among alcoholic beverages. Despite the lack of statistical significance, smokers had the highest mean uric acid levels (6.1 mg/dL). In this population with low prevalence of risky lifestyle behaviors, physical exercise, alcohol consumption, and smoking did not significantly influence serum uric acid levels. However, the elevated levels observed in smokers and the high prevalence of beer consumption among alcohol consumers warrant further investigation in larger, more representative samples. Health education programs should continue to emphasize lifestyle modification given the well-established long-term risks of hyperuricaemia.