Objective To determine whether the serum level of uric acid is associated with the components of metabolic syndrome (MS) criteria and whether uric acid is an independent predictive factor for MS in a high-risk group of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), first-degree relatives of T2DM patients. Methods A total of 322 first-degree relatives of T2DM patients (119 males and 203 females, aged from 40 to 70 years) were recruited in this study. Their height, body mass, blood pressure, liver and kidney functions, blood lipid profiles and body mass index (BMI) were measured and calculated, and oral glucose tolerance test was carried out. MS was defined according to the Metabolic Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria (2004) by Chinese Diabetes Society. Results In the cohort, the serum level of uric acid was associated with the height, body mass, BMI, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG), systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in both sexes (r＝0.376, 0.450, 0.285, 0.127, 0.244, 0.225, 0.395, and -0.184, respectively; P＜0.05). The prevalence of MS was significantly higher in uric acid 365?537μmol/L (male, 62.1%) and 283?411μmol/L (female, 32.7%) than in uric acid 0?274, and 275?320μmol/L (male, 30.0% and 26.7%) and 0?188, and 189?230μmol/L (female, 7.8% and 9.6%). The serum level of uric acid was significantly higher in the MS people than in those without [(315.83±83.97) vs (251.80±75.21)μmol/L, P＜0.01]. Average level of uric acid was increased with the increasing number of the MS criteria components, either in male or in female (P＜0.05). Univariate analysis on uric acid for MS indicated that the age-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence interval were 1.008 and 1.002 to 1.013 for males (P＝0.005) and 1.010 and 1.004?1.016, (P＝0.001) for females. But multivariate logistic regression showed that the effect of uric acid was not significant. Conclusion Uric acid is associated with the most components of MS criteria. MS patients have higher uric acid levels, but the level is probably not an independent factor to predict MS.