Researchers have discovered some of the risk factors for gout. Up to 8 percent of people with gout have a family history of the disease. In addition to inherited traits, diet, weight, and alcohol play a role in the development of gout. The disease is more common in men.
Most people with gout have too much uric acid in their blood, a condition called hyperuricemia. The extra uric acid moves from the blood to the joints, which may trigger the inflammation seen in gout.
