Abnormally high body mass index and tobacco use are associated with poor sperm quality as revealed by reduced sperm binding to hyaluronan-coated slides.

Responses on a lifestyle questionnaire were correlated with results from traditional semen analysis and a newer functional sperm assay, namely, the ability of sperm to bind to a hyaluronan-coated slide. Increased percent normal morphology and motile sperm concentration were positively correlated with increased HA-binding score, whereas tobacco use (either current or previous history) and abnormally high body mass index were associated with lower binding scores. Copyright 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.