Gout can be a painful condition. It is a type of arthritis that occurs when excessive uric acid forms crystals in the joints. People can follow special dietary restrictions to minimize the risk of gout attacks, and many of these recommend restricting fats. Doctors do not recommend patients follow a high-fat diet in part because of the links between high-fat diets, being overweight and having gout.
Identification
To determine whether or not a person has gout, a doctor might look for uric acid crystals in the joints, serum or tissues. Many times the gout sufferer will have gout in only one place, with the big toe being a common location. Those who are over 30 are more likely to suffer from this condition, as are men and those who are overweight, according to the American Association of Family Physicians.
Significance
Because those who are overweight are more likely to suffer attacks of gout, and worse attacks of gout due to their excess weight, the Mayo Clinic recommends that those who suffer from gout do not follow a high-fat diet. It is important for those who are overweight to get down to a normal weight, but they should do so slowly because fast weight loss can contribute to excess uric acid, making gout worse.
Considerations
A high-fat diet and being overweight are not the only things that contribute to gout attacks. It is important to limit consumption of foods that contribute to higher levels of uric acid in the body, such as seafood and red meat, as well as asparagus and mushrooms. The high levels of purines in these foods make it so levels of uric acid increase as they are broken down.
Theories/Speculation
Research in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that there is a connection between hyperlipidemia, especially hypertriglyceridemia and gout. Hypertriglyceridemia is a high level of triglycerides in the blood, which is associated with a high-fat diet. This further verifies the importance of eating a healthy, low-fat diet to avoid attacks of gout.
Expert Insight
Experts at the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend that acute attacks of gout be treated with medication, and that any risk factors such as obesity, alcohol consumption and consumption of foods that contribute to gout should be dealt with to limit further attacks. This means that foods high in fat or high in purines should be avoided.
Member Comments
yan2010 December 15
Just to clarify, hypertriglyceridemia is not caused by a high fat diet. It is caused by eating too much sugar. So that particular study that you are refering too show that sugar causes gout.