Dietary Diversity With Dairy, Fruit, Grains Linked to Lower Gout Risk

A recent study supports a diet of grains, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits to prevent gout.1

“Results from the current study showed that moderate dietary diversity might be beneficial for preventing gout,” wrote investigators, led by Li Liu and Bolun Cheng, both from the Collaborative Innovation Center of Endemic Disease and Health Promotion for Silk Road Region at Xi’an Jiaotong University.1 “Our results were relatively robust as they did not exhibit large fluctuations after adjusting for as wide a range of potential risk factors as possible. These associations were independent of risk factors for gout, such as age, sex, BMI, alcohol use, economic status, and genetic risk factors.”

Many epidemiological studies have shown the effects of particular foods on the risk of developing gout. A 2024 study reported a negative relationship between hyperuricemia and vegetables, soy products, lean meat, fruit, coffee, soy milk, mushrooms, carrots, and eggs, along with a positive relationship between hyperuricemia and soft drinks, bamboo shoots, and organ meat.2

According to Cleveland Clinic, foods and drinks that trigger gout include sugary drinks and sweets, high fructose corn syrup, alcohol, organ meats (liver, tripe, sweetbreads, brains, kidneys), game meats (goose, veal, and venison), certain seafood (herring, scallops, mussels, codfish, tuna, trout, haddock), red meats (beef, lamb, pork, bacon), turkey, gravy, and yeast.3

Experts recommend a low-purine diet in patients at risk of gout to reduce uric acid in the body and weight. Cleveland Clinic lists several foods that can lower the risk of gout: skim milk, cherries, coffee, and 5 – 8 glasses of water a day. Already, it is known that varying your protein source, eating fruits and vegetables, and consuming grains such as rice, pasta, and non-sugary cereals are all gout-friendly.3

Despite all the available data on what foods increase the risk or prevent gout, prospective studies have not comprehensively confirmed the associations between particular foods and gout prevention.

In a study with 161,213 participants (54.32% female) aged 56.5 years in a large cohort, investigators assessed the association between gout and the food intake of 5 major groups: grain, vegetables, fruits, meats, and dairy. 1The team confirmed the diverse diet with 5 rounds of 24-hour dietary recall records. Investigators measured the genetic risk of gout using a weighted polygenic risk score and identified gout cases using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) code.

During a median follow-up of 13.26 years, the study identified 2004 gout cases. The analysis showed that intermediate and high diet diversity scores (hazard ratio [HR], 0.798; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.707–0.900 and HR 0.807; 95% CI, 0.701–0.928, respectively), grains, (HR, 0.852; 95% CI, 0.789–0.919), dairy (HR, 0.889, 95% CI, 0.846–0.933), vegetables (HR, 0.960; 95% CI, 0.927–0.993), and fruits (HR, 0.924; 95% CI, 0.879–0.972) were all associated with a reduced risk of gout (all P <.05).1

“While low-purine foods are a key component of dietary management for gout, it’s important to recognize the value of food diversity in promoting overall health and well-being for individuals with this condition,” investigators noted.1

The link between dairy products and gout prevention was notable in the high genetic risk subgroup (HR, 0.885; 95% CI, 0.832-0.942; P = 1.089×10-4). The team mentioned that dairy products are low in purine content and may exert a urate-lowering effect without providing a concomitant purine load contained in other protein sources like meat and seafood. Research has previously shown that the ingestion of milk proteins—casein and lactalbumin—can reduce uric acid levels due to their uricosuric effect.1

“Our findings provide prospective evidence that while dietary diversity is important in managing gout, it should be approached with moderation,” investigators concluded.1 “Consumption of grain products, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits was associated with a reduced risk of gout. Individuals with a greater genetic predisposition were found to have a decreased likelihood of developing gout when consuming dairy products. These findings may be of interest to clinicians involved in the prevention and treatment of gout.”

References

1. Liu L, Cheng B, Cheng S, et al. Dietary Diversity and Risk of Developing Gout: A Cohort Study of 161,213 Participants. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published online December 12, 2025. doi:10.1002/acr.70012

2. Asghari KM, Zahmatyar M, Seyedi F, Motamedi A, Zolfi M, Alamdary SJ, Fazlollahi A, Shamekh A, Mousavi SE, Nejadghaderi SA, Mohammadinasab R, Ghazi-Sha'rbaf J, Karamzad N, Sullman MJM, Kolahi AA, Safiri S. Gout: global epidemiology, risk factors, comorbidities and complications: a narrative review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2024 Dec 19;25(1):1047. doi: 10.1186/s12891-024-08180-9. PMID: 39702222; PMCID: PMC11660718.

3. Gout Low Purine Diet. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed December 17, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22548-gout-low-purine-diet