Serum uric acid and obesity in Hawaiians

HYPERURICEMIA in the Maori of New Zealand has been described. Obesity, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease were also noted to be very prevalent in these Polynesian people.1Another Polynesian group, the Hawaiians, also have a high rate of obesity,2ischemic heart disease,3and diabetes.4In view of the reported relation of hyperuricemia to obesity,5ischemic heart disease,6and diabetes,7it was thought that the Hawaiians would show elevated uric acid levels similar to the Maori. This study reports the finding of a normal mean serum uric acid (SUA) level in a group of Hawaiian men. Body build and serum lipids were also measured and are discussed in relation to the uric acid. Materials and Methods The sample consisted of 49 pure Hawaiian, adult men. It was limited to adult men to avoid the known variations in SUA levels related to puberty and menopause.