Increase In Obesity And Hypertension Are Likely Contributors To The Increase In Gout Prevalence In US Over Last 2 Decades

Oh my achin' joints.

A new study shows the prevalence of gout in the U.S. has risen over the last twenty years and now affects 8.3 million (4%) Americans. Prevalence of increased uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) also rose, affecting 43.3 million (21%) adults in the U.S. Greater frequency of obesity and hypertension may be associated with the jump in prevalence rates according to the findings now available in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

Gout, an inflammatory arthritis triggered by crystallization of uric acid within the joints, causes severe pain and swelling. Medical evidence suggests that gout is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome - a group of health conditions characterized by central obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and blood lipid issues - and may lead to heart attack, diabetes and premature death. Prior research found that gout incidence in the U.S. more than doubled from the 1960s to 1990s.

Lose the weight.