The population most affected by this disease are seniors, whose tendency towards hypertension, weight gain (due to lack of exercise), and the need to take water pills all contribute to the development of gout, which can be very painful.
Now doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital have investigated the affect that weight loss has on the development and improvement of this disease. Studies observed 47,150 men, evaluating risk factors and the occurrence of gout in these individuals, who ranged in age from 40 and 75years of age.
The men were first interviewed in 1986.
By 1998, there were 730 newly diagnosed cases of gout. The report, headed by Dr. Hyon Choi, determined that, after adjusting for starting weight and other risk factors, men who lost 10 pounds or more since 1986 had a 39 percent lower risk of gout compared with those who had maintained their weight or gained weight.
The study also noted that among those in the program who were considered obese, the incidence of gout was 4.41 percent higher than for those with low-normal weight. In fact, the chance of developing gout increased in intervals in accordance with the weight of the subject – those who weighed more had a higher chance of developing the disease.
The researchers also took other physical disorders into consideration. Men with high blood pressure had a 2.31 percent higher risk of developing the disease while those taking a diuretic or “water pill” increased their risked by 1.7 percent.
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