Learn more about this research in Episode 21 of the Arthritis Research Education Series.
Webinar
Join our next Education Series webinar, where Arthritis Research Canada scientists Dr. Hyon Choi and Dr. Natalie McCormick will share insights from their research on diet and gout. Patient Doug Park will also share his experience living with the condition.
You’ll learn:
- Which foods and beverages are associated with gout risk
- What research tells us about diet and gout
- Why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to healthy eating with gout
Healthy Eating and Gout
December 2, 2026 at 10 am Pacific Time (British Columbia)
Research
Click the links below to learn more about gout studies at Arthritis Research Canada.
Diet and Gout Research Papers
- Long‐term lignan intake, whole grain foods, and the risk of gout: results from two prospective cohort studies
- Pro-inflammatory dietary pattern and the risk of female gout: sex-specific findings from three prospective cohort studies
- Adherence to Healthy and Unhealthy Plant-Based Diets and the Risk of Gout
- Low-Carbohydrate Diet Macronutrient Quality and Weight Change
- A South Asian Mediterranean-style diet is associated with favorable adiposity measures and lower diabetes risk: The MASALA cohort
- A Randomized Pilot Study of DASH Patterned Groceries on Serum Urate in Individuals with Gout
- Estimation of Primary Prevention of Gout in Men Through Modification of Obesity and Other Key Lifestyle Factors
- Effects of Low-Fat, Mediterranean, or Low-Carbohydrate Weight Loss Diets on Serum Urate and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Secondary Analysis of the Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial (DIRECT)
- The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Western diet, and risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study
Other Gout Research
- Epidemiology of Depression and Anxiety in Gout: A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis
- Key barriers to gout care: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies
- The unclosing premature mortality gap in gout: a general population-based study
- The economic burden of gout: A systematic review
- Cardiovascular events in patients with gout initiating urate-lowering therapy with or without colchicine for flare prophylaxis: a retrospective new-user cohort study using linked primary care, hospitalisation, and mortality data
- Comparative effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for recurrent nephrolithiasis among patients with pre-existing nephrolithiasis or gout: target trial emulation studies
- Serum Urate Change Among Gout Patients Treated with Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter Type 2 Inhibitors vs. Sulfonylurea: A Comparative Effectiveness Analysis
- Pre-Diagnostic Amino Acid Metabolites and Risk of Gout, Accounting for Serum Urate: Prospective Cohort Study and Mendelian Randomization
- Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors vs Sulfonylureas for Gout Prevention Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Receiving Metformin
- The clinical benefits of sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors in people with gout
- Unclosing Premature Mortality Gap Among Gout Patients in the US General Population, Independent of Serum Urate and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk Factors
- Serum Urate and Recurrent Gout
- Pre-Diagnostic Glycoprotein Acetyl Levels and Incident and Recurrent Flare Risk, Accounting for Serum Urate Levels: A Population-Based, Prospective Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis
- Comparative effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for recurrent gout flares and gout-primary emergency department visits and hospitalizations: a general population cohort study
- Assessing Reliability of an Electronic Gout Flare Assessment Protocol
- Gout and Risk of Fracture in Women: A Prospective Cohort Study
- Impact of diabetes against the future risk of developing gout
Research scientists
Want to support research like this & more?
Additional resources
Real-World Data Show Gout Treatment Disparities: This article explores differences in gout treatment in real-world clinical practice, highlighting gaps in care and opportunities to improve treatment for people living with gout.
- Gout and the Gut Microbiome: Learn about the relationship between the gut microbiome, which is the community of microorganisms living in the digestive system, and gout.
Here Are ‘Girl Dinners’ to Avoid to Limit Gout Risk: This article examines how food choices may affect gout risk, using the popular “girl dinner” trend to discuss eating patterns and foods that may contribute to higher uric acid levels.
A Painful Condition Is Rising in Young Men. Scientists Are Racing to Figure Out Why: Gout is increasingly affecting younger people, and this article explores possible contributing factors, including genetics, diet and other health conditions.
Frequently asked questions
How is diet linked to gout?
Research has linked certain foods and drinks, including alcohol, red meat, seafood and sugary drinks, to a higher risk of developing gout. Other foods and drinks, such as low-fat dairy products, coffee and vitamin C, have been linked to a lower risk. Researchers are also studying how overall eating patterns influence gout risk.
What is the best diet for people with gout?
There isn’t one perfect diet for everyone with gout. Research comparing low-fat, Mediterranean-style and low-carbohydrate diets found that blood uric acid levels decreased across all three diets, with no one diet showing a greater reduction in uric acide levels. The goal is to find a healthy eating pattern that works for you and that you can maintain over time.
What should I consider when making changes to my diet?
Healthy eating needs to work in real life. Cost, time, access to food, and personal preferences all affect what changes are practical. Rather than trying to follow a perfect diet, focus on finding an eating pattern that fits your circumstances and that you can maintain.
Do I need to change my diet to manage gout?
Food choices are one part of managing gout, but they aren’t the whole picture. Work with your healthcare team to find a treatment plan that meets your needs.
Feedback & Survey
Let us know what you think. Your feedback is important to us and helps inform future topics and episodes!