More than two cans of cola or lemonade a day can “substantially” increase the risk of developing gout, researchers have found.

The condition is a form of inflammatory arthritis, characterised by pain, inflammation and swelling, and was the scourge of many bons viveurs in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is still common, affecting one in 200 men between the ages of 30 and 60.

Its symptoms, which commonly affect the big toe or lower limbs, occur when uric acid (urate) crystallises out of the blood into the joints. Urate is a normally harmless waste product which is produced by the body when it breaks down substances known as purines, found naturally in the body and also in some foods and drinks, such as beer, stout and port. The condition rarely affects women because they tend to have a lower level of urate in their bloodstream than men.

For the latest study, experts in the US and Canada studied more than 46,000 men, aged 40 and over, with no history of the disease. The men answered questions about their intake of more than 130 food and drink items.

During a 12-year follow-up, 755 newly diagnosed cases of gout were identified. Analysis found that the risk of gout increased with a rising intake of soft drinks sweetened with sugar.

The study, published online in the British Medical Journal, said: “The risk of incident gout was 85 per cent higher among men who consumed two or more servings of sugar sweetened soft drinks daily compared with those who consumed less than one serving monthly.” Sweet fruit juices were also found to be culprits.

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