Gout or acute inflammatory arthritis due to a Western lifestyle and diet The Tokelau islands migrant study and gout

Gout or acute inflammatory arthritis due to a Western lifestyleGout increases as a result of a Western lifestyle and diet. Uric acid is the biggest contributor to gout – coconut oil and coconuts prevent gout

The 14-year epidemiological study (1967-1982) conducted on the Tokelau islands (the Tokelau Island Migrant Study) demonstrated that we suffer more from gout as we adopt a Western lifestyle and diet. Gout is an attack of acute inflammatory arthritis, mostly in the wrist, knee or ankle. Gout is associated with excess uric acid in the blood and the crystallisation of that uric acid which is deposited on joints.
The inhabitants of Tokelau that migrated to New Zealand suffered more frequently from gout than those who remained on Tokelau. Over the years, gout was 2.5 times more common among Tokelauans in New Zealand than those on Tokelau itself (51 vs. 21 per 1,000 people).Those who left for New Zealand were 9 times more likely to suffer from gout than those on Tokelau. Age, uric acid in the blood, cholesterol and alcohol were the major contributors to gout, the researchers said.

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Bron: Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). Aug 22, 1987; 295(6596): 457–461. , I A Prior, T J Welby, T Ostbye, C E Salmond, and Y M Stokes , Britsch Medical Journal of clinical Research