10 Interesting Facts About Gout: You May Be At Risk
Between three to four percent of adults in North America will experience some form of gout in their lives. In America, that’s over 8 million people! Pain is usually sudden and intense, lasts about a week and a half and then quickly recedes. Just because the pain is gone does not mean the gout is gone; flare-ups can occur anywhere from a few weeks to years later. Treatment of gout is important or it can become chronic bordering on permanent. Learn the risks, treatments and symptoms of gout and stay healthy!
Obesity Increases Risk of Gout
Roughly two-thirds of the adult population in America – about 69 percent – is considered overweight. While there are signs obesity among children has leveled off and may be dropping, this is still an alarmingly high number. The more weight a person carries around, the harder it becomes for the body to remove uric acid and other waste. Gout is among the many complications being overweight can cause due to the accumulation of uric acid in the body.
In addition, obesity can lead to insulin resistance; a condition strongly linked to gout. Another contributing factor is the amount of visceral fat or fat found around the belly a person carries. Higher levels of this fat have been linked to gout and type 2 diabetes. When considering if you might be overweight or not, a good starting point is to consult a body mass index (BMI). This will give you a general idea of what your ideal weight should be based on your height and age.
