In a revolutionary 16-week study newly published in “Arthritis & Rheumatology”, led by Robin Christensen and his team, an intensive dietary approach was demonstrated to be both safe and effective in reducing body weight among people grappling with obesity and gout. However, the study's findings presented a unique twist – the observed weight loss did not directly influence serum urate levels, fatigue, and pain.

Guidelines have long recommended weight loss to manage gout patients despite the limited existing evidence. In this randomized trial, the authors examined the influence of intensive diet intake on body weight and gout severity clinical measures. Sixty-one people with obesity and gout were assigned to a low-energy dietary intervention (29 participants) or a control diet (32 participants). The age of participants was 60.3 years on average with mean body mass index (BMI) reported as 35.6 kg/m2. Additionally, 97% of the participants were males.

The variation in body weight was considered as the primary outcome. The variations in visual analog scale (VAS)-assessed pain and fatigue and serum urate levels were all under secondary outcomes. Body weight variations varied considerably between the diet and control groups (-15.4 vs -7.7 kg; p<0.001) after 16 weeks. Even though there were indications that a low-energy diet might be advantageous, the distinctions in serum urate changes and fatigue between the groups could not be proven.

There were no changes in pain and gout flares observed in the groups. Also, no critical adverse events or deaths were reported. In conclusion, a 16-week intensive dietary intervention in obese individuals with gout effectively lowered body weight but did not appreciably improve serum urate levels, fatigue, or pain.