Arthritis Prevention

Gout prevention

Gout is a painful type of arthritis that usually affects one joint at a time, often the big toe. It happens when extra uric acid forms crystals in a joint.1

What raises uric acid

  • Obesity
  • Certain medicines, such as diuretics (water pills)
  • Foods and drinks high in purines: alcohol, sugary drinks and snacks, red meat, and shellfish

Who gets gout

It is more common in men, in people with a family history of gout, and in people with heart failure, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes, or poor kidney function.

Preventing flares

  • Be physically active, at least 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity.
  • Limit alcohol, especially beer and hard liquor, sugary foods and drinks, red and organ meats, and certain seafood.
  • Ask a provider about medicines that lower uric acid if flares recur.

Questions

What foods trigger gout?

The CDC lists foods and drinks high in purines: alcohol (especially beer and hard liquor), sugary drinks and foods, red and organ meats, and some seafood such as anchovies, sardines, mussels, scallops, trout, and tuna.

Can gout be prevented?

Flares can often be prevented or reduced with diet and lifestyle changes and, when prescribed, medicines that lower uric acid.

This page summarizes public health guidance. It is not medical advice and cannot diagnose joint pain. If you have pain, swelling, or stiffness that lasts, see a health care provider.

  1. CDC, “Gout”, https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/gout/index.html, read November 11, 2026. ↩