Gout, a crystal-associated joint disease caused by monosodium urate deposition, is not only painful, but also often manifests with abdominal obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And a recent study suggests that there is one treatment that can do both benefits – potentially reducing the risk of developing gout and hyperuricemia in addition to reducing body weight – and it is gastric reduction surgery. Obese patients who underwent weight loss surgery (such as gastric bypass) had a significantly lower risk of developing gout compared to obese patients who did not undergo bariatric surgery. Obesity is widespread in Western and developing countries, and can carry a burden of many diseases, including gout. Bariatric surgery is one of the more effective treatments for obesity, and remains effective even years after surgery. To investigate the association between bariatric surgery and gout, researchers analyzed data on nearly 4,000 middle-aged, obese participants in Swedish health centers from 1987-2001. Half of the participants underwent bariatric surgery (including gastric bypass, gastric banding and gastric anastomosis and septostomy) and the other half underwent nonsurgical treatment, and both groups were followed for about 20 years for gout and hyperuricemia. The researchers found that participants who underwent bariatric surgery had a 40% lower risk of developing gout compared to those who did not undergo bariatric surgery. At follow-up, the risk of hyperuricemia was 53 percent lower in the surgery group compared to the control group. Gout events were prevented in 1 in 8 obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery. Gout is a common disease. Although gout can be controlled by medication, sometimes the effectiveness of medication is poor and patients often suffer a lot during treatment. When losing weight, diet and exercise alone are not effective in reducing the risk of gout. Patients who undergo weight loss surgery not only have a reduced risk of gout, but also benefit from other conditions, including diabetes and hypertension. Weight loss surgery is not only effective in reducing weight, but also reduces the risk of other serious diseases associated with obesity, such as gout.