April 26, 2005 – Weight Loss Helps Prevent Gout, A Form Of Arthritis, According To A Large American Survey Of 47,150 Men1.
The survey confirmed that being overweight, defined by a body mass index of 25 or more, was linked to an increased risk of gout, and that this risk was even greater in obesity (an index of 30 or more). But for the first time, weight loss has been shown to reduce the incidence of gout. Indeed, study participants who lost ten pounds or more from their initial weight reduced their risk of developing gout by 39%, compared to those who maintained their weight (to four pounds – two kilos – or near).
These results come from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, an American epidemiological study lasting 12 years, launched in 1986, on men’s health. At the start of the study, the participants were between the ages of 40 and 75, and none of them had gout. During the study, 730 men suffered from the disease. Information about body mass index, weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure and diet was collected from participants, among other things, through questionnaires to be completed in both years. It is the compilation of these results that made it possible to draw these conclusions.
According to the authors of the study, excess weight would lead to an overproduction of uric acid, a metabolic waste. However, gout occurs when, for various reasons, the body produces too much uric acid. This excess turns into crystals, which will settle in the joints causing swelling and pain. This is why losing weight would help prevent gout.
Marie-Michèle Mantha – PasseportSanté.net
1. Choi HK, Atkinson K, Karlson EW, Curhan G. Obesity, weight change, hypertension, diuretic use, and risk of gout in men: the health professionals follow-up study. Arch Intern Med. 2005 Apr 11; 165 (7): 742-8.
