See how much you know about the real connection between diet and gout. Answer the following questions, and click “Submit.”

1. 1. The primary cause of gout is:
   • Eating the wrong foods
   • High levels of uric acid in your blood
   • Lack of exercise
   • Poor circulation

   Correct! The answer is b. High levels of uric acid in your blood.

   You answered .
   The correct answer is b. High levels of uric acid in your blood.

   High levels of uric acid in your blood, or hyperuricemia, are the primary cause of gout.

   
2. 2. Eating or avoiding certain foods alone will make gout go away.
   • True
   • False

   Correct! The answer is False.

   You answered True
   The correct answer is False.

   While some foods may trigger a gout flare, and have an impact on the level of uric acid in your blood, diet is not the cause of gout. The way your body processes uric acid is much more important.

   
3. 3. Although attacks of gout can be triggered by many things, including alcohol and certain foods, the exact cause of an attack cannot always be determined.
   • True
   • False

   Correct! The answer is True.

   You answered False
   The correct answer is True

   Gout is a complex condition that needs a long-term treatment plan to reduce uric acid levels.

   
4. 4. Being obese, or even overweight, makes you more likely to have a gout attack.
   • True
   • False

   Correct! The answer is True.

   You answered False
   The correct answer is True

   Excess weight is one of several conditions commonly associated with gout.

   
5. 5. Which of the following types of alcoholic beverage carries the highest risk of triggering an attack in someone with gout?
   • Beer
   • Spirits
   • Wine
   • The risk is exactly the same for all of these

   Correct! The answer is a. Beer

   You answered .
   The correct answer is a. Beer.

   Beer carries more risk of triggering an attack in someone with gout than wine and spirits (though no one food can be blamed for "causing" gout).

   
6. 6. Someone with high uric acid levels who switches from an average diet to a low-purine diet is likely to get a _________ reduction in their uric acid level.
   • Total
   • Large
   • Small
   • 0%

   Correct! The answer is c. Small.

   You answered .
   The correct answer is c. Small.

   Even people who adopt a strict low-purine diet may not be able to reduce their uric acid level enough to change the effects of gout. Talk to your doctor about your serum uric acid level and the steps you can take to lower it.

   
7. 7. Quick weight loss would definitely help my gout.
   • True
   • False

   Correct! The answer is False.

   You answered True
   The correct answer is False.

   Some diets designed for quick weight loss raise acid levels. Rapid changes in serum uric acid levels may cause attacks. Gradual weight loss is recommended.

   
8. 8. Although diet isn't the cause of gout, certain high-purine foods can trigger a gout flare.
   • True
   • False

   Correct! The answer is a. True.

   You answered .
   The correct answer is a. True.

   While gout is caused by hyperuricemia—high uric acid in the blood—a gout flare can be triggered by many things, including certain types of high-purine foods and alcoholic beverages.

   
9. 9. Some common high-purine foods/beverages that may trigger a gout attack are: seafood, red meat and beer.
   • True
   • False

   Correct! The answer is True.

   You answered .
   The correct answer is True.

   Red meat, seafood like anchovies, sardines, roe (fish eggs), herring, mussels, codfish, scallops, trout, and haddock, and beer are all high in purines. But remember, while certain high-purine foods may trigger a gout flare, diet is not the cause of gout.

   
10. 10. In addition to my diet, my doctor needs to know about _______.
    • All prescription medications that I take
    • Any over-the-counter (OTC) medication I take
    • All vitamins, minerals, and supplements I take
    • All of the above

    Correct! The answer is d. All of the above.

    You answered .
    The correct answer is d. All of the above.

    Your doctor needs to know any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins, minerals, or supplements that you take. To provide the most appropriate medical advice, your doctor needs a complete picture of your food and drug intake.