Association of a Serum Uric Acid-Related Dietary Pattern with Metabolic Syndrome Among Guangzhou Children Aged 9-17 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Childhood metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a growing public health concern in China, with diet emerging as a critical modifiable risk factor. Although numerous studies have explored the relationship between dietary patterns and MetS, the specific influence of dietary patterns associated with serum uric acid (SUA) levels in the young population remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between an SUA-related dietary pattern and MetS risk among children aged 9-17 years in Guangzhou, China. : A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou from March 2023 to May 2024, including 4181 participants. To identify the dietary pattern associated with SUA, we employed reduced-rank regression (RRR) using 15 predefined food groups. The multivariate logistic regression models were applied to evaluate the association between the SUA-related dietary pattern scores (as continuous variables and tertiles) and the risk of MetS and its five components. : The SUA-related dietary pattern was characterized by high consumption of meat & meat products and beverages, and low consumption of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits & their products, eggs, dairy products, and sugary food. After adjusting for confounding factors, each one-unit increase in the SUA-related dietary pattern score corresponded to 27% higher odds of MetS (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.00-1.62), and 24% higher odds of central obesity (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.11-1.38). In subgroup analyses, higher adherence to the SUA-related dietary pattern scores was linked to significantly increased odds of MetS (adjusted OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.18-2.42) and central obesity (adjusted OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.20-1.62) among participants with insufficient physical activity. Higher adherence to the SUA-related dietary pattern was associated with higher odds of MetS in Chinese children, particularly among those with insufficient physical activity. The results provide new insights into the relationship between dietary patterns and childhood MetS, offering dietary strategies focused on managing SUA levels to prevent MetS.