Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks increases the risk of hyperuricemia in Korean population: The Korean Multi-Rural Communities Cohort Study

Objective

The clinical implication of sugar-sweetened soft drinks on the risk of hyperuricemia has increased, especially in Western population studies. The aim of this study is to clarify the association between sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit drinks made from oranges and apples and the risk of hyperuricemia in the Korean Multi-Rural Communities Cohort.

Methods

A total of 9400 subjects were enrolled in the Korean Multi-Rural Communities Cohort Study, and a cross-sectional analysis was performed. Five quintiles (Q1–Q5) according to consumption of soft drinks and other fruit/fruit juices were classified and then categorized into three groups (Q1–Q3, Q4, and Q5) to assess the risk of hyperuricemia. Information on dietary intake was collected by well-trained interviewers using validated food frequency questionnaires.

Results

Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (Q5) increased the risk of hyperuricemia in males (adjusted OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.07–1.71) with a linear trend (p for trend = 0.01) and in females (adjusted OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.03–1.90) with no linear trend (p for trend = 0.09), compared to lower consumption (Q1–Q3). However, there were no significant differences of serum uric acid level according to the three categories of soft drink consumption, Q1–Q3, Q3, and Q5, in males (p = 0.21) or in females (p = 0.16), whereas all subjects showed statistical significance of serum uric acid level within the categories (p < 0.001). Estimated amount of soft drink intake was associated with serum uric acid level in males (β = 0.001; p = 0.01) but not in females (β = 0.0005; p = 0.10).

Conclusion

Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks increased the risk of hyperuricemia in the Korean population, showing a differential linear trend for hyperuricemia according to gender.