Losing weight alone can decrease uric acid levels in the blood, as well as the number of
gout attacks, staving off hyperuricemia, so it’s a no brainer that if you are overweight and
have gout that you immediately consider losing weight with whatever method you like. In
addition, weight loss will also help relieve your joints (knees, feet, hips, ankles etc...) by
reducing the stress from the excessive weight, avoiding pain in those joints.
If you are determined to lose weight, it is important that you avoid crash dieting at all
costs since rapid weight loss as well as going hungry for long periods of time will increase
uric acid levels in your body and cause you a gout attack. A balanced diet rich in fruits and
vegetables, with low meat intake, plenty of whole wheat bread, whole wheat cereals,
moderate amounts of dairy products, plenty of water, little alcohol if any at all, the
complete elimination of highly processed foods and drinks is the key to a successful gout
diet. This will help you control your weight and provide you with all the necessary
nutrients required for you to fight this disease.
The famous gout researcher Hyon K. Choi from Massachusetts General Hospital while
studying 47 150 middle aged men for a period of 12 years did conclude that the more
weight men gained the more susceptible they were in getting a gout attack or developing
the disease. Those who did lose weight though decreased their gout risk especially weight
loss of more than 10 pounds, dropping their risk by 40%. Choi also concluded that
regardless of their diet, men who gained weight would get gout more often. Overweight
men with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of at least 25 are more than twice as likely to develop
gout and obese men have triple the risk in developing it!
Another small pilot study on gout and weight loss was done with 13 gout patients, while
all 13 were gout patients who would get an attack every month and after losing weight
through their diet after a few months only but one patient would have less than one gout
attack per month. Yet another study conducted at the University of Auckland in New
Zealand also suggests that gout patients who are obese may benefit from bariatric surgery
which will result in lowering uric acid crystallization in the joints further preventing gout
attacks and reduced inflammation from the weight loss.
Weight loss allows the uric acid in the fatty deposits inside the body to leave or excrete in
a consistent manner. If you have a gout attack or swelling in any of your joints, it will help
diminish those effects due to the fact there will be less fatty deposits in your joints knees,