BMJ  2008;336:285-286 (9 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39479.667731.80

Editorials

Sugary drinks, fruit, and increased risk of gout

Dietary fructose could be a contributing factor

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The accompanying prospective cohort study by Choi and Curhan adds dietary fructose intake to the list of possible risk factors for gout.1 Laboratory evidence that dietary fructose increases serum urate already exists, and recent epidemiological studies have found an association between dietary fructose and hyperuricaemia in the United States.2 3 4 5

The health professionals follow-up study was established in 1986 to examine the relation between nutritional factors and disease onset in later life in more than 50 000 American men.1 Previous analyses have looked at the association of obesity, alcohol, and diet with the onset of gout.

This new analysis looks at the role of non-alcoholic drinks and fruit on the first onset of gout. It finds a strong association between sugar sweetened soft drinks, usually containing fructose, and gout. Consuming two servings a day of a sugar sweetened soft drink increased the risk of developing gout by 85% (relative risk 1.85, . . . [Full text of this article]

Martin Underwood, professor of primary care research

1 Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL

M.underwood@warwick.ac.uk


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Doherty, M. (2009). New insights into the epidemiology of gout. Rheumatology (Oxford) 48: ii2-ii8 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

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The Beverage Industry
Hugh Mann
bmj.com, 14 Feb 2008 [Full text]
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