By eating less meat, poultry, and seafood while tak-
ing in more low-fat or non-fat dairy products, men can
cut their chances of getting gout by 50 percent, according
to the results of a 12-year study of nearly 50,000 men
who had no history of gout. The study is the most
definitive and comprehensive research done on gout. It
was conducted by rheumatologist Hyon K. Choi and
other researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in
Boston. The study followed men aged 40–75 years. Dur-
ing the study, the men, all health care professionals, were
quizzed periodically on how much of 130 foods and
beverages they had eaten along with questions on
weight, medications they had taken, and their medical
condition. At the end of the study, 730 (about 2 percent)
of the men had developed the condition.
The study found that men with the highest con-
sumption of seafood were 51% more likely to develop
gout than those who consumed the least amount of
seafood. It also found that men with the highest con-
sumption of beef, pork, and lamb had a 41% higher
incidence of gout than those who ate the least amount
of these meats. Men who had the highest consumption
of low-fat dairy products had a 42% lower rate of
developing gout compared to those who consumed
the least amount of dairy products. Vegetables that
are high in purines that were previously associated
with an increased risk for developing gout were
found to not increase the risk of getting the disease.
These vegetables include peas, beans, mushrooms,
cauliflower, asparagus, and spinach.The study also looked at the role alcohol con-
sumption plays in gout. The risk of gout increased by
30% by consuming one drink a day, compared to
people who did not drink alcohol at all. Two drinks
a day increased the risk to 50% and three drinks a day
increased the risk by 100 percent. There were some
differences in the types of alcohol consumed. Two
glasses of wine a day did not increase the risk of gout
at all when compared to men who drank no wine.
Alcohol other than beer or wine increased the risk by
15% per serving. Beer increased the risk by 49 % per
serving. Researchers are uncertain why the risk of gout
varies depending on the type of alcohol consumed.
Some suggest that other non-alcoholic ingredients in
beer that are not found in wine or spirits may be
responsible for increased risk of gout.What is gout?
Gout, also called gouty arthritis, is a painful but
treatable form of arthritis that affects up to five mil-
lion Americans, primarily men over the age of forty.
The disease is characterized by sudden and severe
pain, redness, swelling, heat, stiffness, and inflamma-
tion in one or more joints. It most commonly affects
the big toe first. Subsequent attacks of gout, usually
limited to a single joint at a time, can occur in the
instep, ankles, heels of the feet and hands, knees,
wrists, fingers, and elbows.
Gout is caused by needle-like crystals of uric acid,
a substance that results from the metabolic break-
down of purines, which are found in many foods and
are part of normal human tissue.. Uric acid is normally
dissolved in the blood and filtered through the kidneys
into the urine. If uric acid production is increased by
the body or it is not sufficiently eliminated from the
kidneys, it can build up in the blood., resulting in a
condition called hyperuricemia (high uric acid). This
can lead to gout. High amounts of uric acid can also
collect in the kidneys, causing kidney stones.General dietary guidelines
People with gout should consult their doctors
about developing individualized meal plans. Diets
should take into account all aspects of medical nutri-
tion therapy, especially for people with heart disease,
high blood pressure, or diabetes. General dietary
guidelinesfor people with gout include:
Limit protein consumption from meat and replace it
with low-fat or non-fat dairy products and soy prod-
ucts, such as soybeans and tofu.
Consume dairy products low in fat rather than those
high in fat.KEY TERMS
Atherosclerosis—Hardening of the arteries.
Chronic renal disease—The permanent loss of kid-
ney function.
DNA—Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic
acid molecule in a twisted double strand, called a
double helix, that is the major component of chro-
mosomes. DNA carries genetic information and is
the basis of life.
Hyperuricemia—High levels of uric acid in the
blood.
Purines—Substances in DNA that can be metabo-
lized into uric acid.
Rheumatism—A painful condition of the joints or
muscles.
Uric acid—An acid found in urine and blood that is
produced bythe body’s breakdownof nitrogen wastes.Gout diet