The Atkins Killer Diet

[shannon_a]

According to the ME's report, released today, Robert Atkins was obese at the time of his death. He also had suffered from a heart attack, congestive heart failure, and hyper tension. (Gee, almost sounds like the results of eating a diet heavy in meat and dairy, doesn't it?)

His widow, who probably makes millions off of Atkins branded food every year, was unhappy that the report had been released. The full story is here:
Diet Irrelevent, Cries Atkins Widow

I do wonder how long it's going to be before Americans wake up and smell the carbs. I predict that within 5 years we'll be seeing class-action lawsuits against companies selling Atkins branded food.

Comments

[webmacher.livejournal.com]

Wow. When are we going to learn that crazy unbalanced fad diets are just bad news no matter which way you go? Those Atkins-branded food items make me nuts. What's wrong with real food?!?!? Thanks for pointing out that article!

Re:

[shannon_a]

I was disturbed, walking by Subway the other week, and seeing they now have a line of Atkins sandwiches. Likewise, just this week in the grocery store, I noticed some chip manufacturers (maybe it was pretzels) branding their product with the Atkins symbol and a carb count.

I'm amazed how many people can think that a meat and cheese diet is actually healthy.

[dougo.livejournal.com]

Did you even read the full story? His heart disease (and obesity) was caused by a viral infection. I'm no Atkins fan, but this thing about his death is a red herring (and has been trotted out before).

Re:

[catamorphism.livejournal.com]

It's actually unclear from this article, though if you have other sources that make it clear, I'd be happy check them out:

"Stuart Trager, chairman of the Atkins Physicians Council in New York, told the Journal that Atkins' heart disease stemmed from cardiomyopathy, a condition thought to result from a viral infection."

This is what Atkins' PR goons are saying. Nowhere in the article does it quote the medical examiners' report directly. Unless I saw the report itself in full, I wouldn't necessarily trust either the PR people or the PCRM (though in the latter case, they're a reputable organization and I'd trust them not to deliberately spread lies).

[dougo.livejournal.com]

Well, no, I don't have unimpeachable sources. There's a CNN article that quotes Dr. Clyde Yancy, an apparently impartial expert, as saying: "Despite the obvious irony, I believe there is a total disconnect between the cardiac arrest and the health approach he (Atkins) popularizes." Maybe some investigative journalist should look into whether there was a false diagnosis report or some other cover-up, I dunno.

Re:

[shannon_a]

As catamorphism said, the only claims that it was the result of a viral infection came from folks within the Atkins organization. Since I already think they're an eerily cultish organization selling a diet that studies keep showing is unhealthy, they don't have much credibility in my mind. The ME's report said nothing of the sort.

Something I Too Worry About

[carmelonia.livejournal.com]

Firstly, I hope you don't mind me posting a comment in your LJ. I feel very strongly about the "Atkins" diet sweeping through the nation because it has become a mania among fad diets and many major restaurant and fast-food chains are now introducing "Atkins-approved" menus.

Regardless of what Robert Atkins actually died from, it is common sense and documented fact that carbohydrates are necessary for a healthy body, and that the Atkins diet, while in the short run can be conducive to losing weight, is incredibly dangerous to one's health in the long run.

One only needs to look at the foundation level of the Nutritional Food Pyramid (http://www.annecollins.com/images/food-pyramid-guide.gif) to know this. Of all food groups, grains, breads, rices, et cetera, are the most important. It is recommended that one has 6-10 servings per day, more than any other category of food. Pasta, breads, cereals, rices, things all prohibited or severely limited on the Atkins diet, are the most fundamental foods that humans need to be healthy.

Atkins also recommends cutting out things like fruits, juices and other foods and beverages with natural sugars because they have more carbohydrates. But this means denying the body wonderful and sometimes exclusive sources of many vitamins and minerals, not to mention the body's basic energy sources.

Atkins suggests eating lo-carb foods that tend to be very fatty and greasy, clogging one's arteries, raising cholesterol and blood pressure levels, and contributing to many dangerous heart complications. There is documentation all over to prove this.

Not to mention, common sense dictates that the best way to lose weight is through daily physical exercise and a balanced diet. Everything in moderation.

In order to maintain one's ideal body, a person must not just "diet" but must change their health lifestyle. And not just for three weeks, or six months, but forever. It is a hard, cold fact.

Re: Something I Too Worry About

[shannon_a]

I don't mind at all; thanks for the comments.

Regarding the food pyramid: you see, Atkins says that's just some type of conspiracy. Put out by the grain and rice, syndicate, no doubt. He advocates a "food diamond" instead. Seriously.

Atkins is basically a get-rich-quick scheme, or in this case get-thin-quick. Studies have shown that much of the initial, rapid weight loss comes from eliminating water retention. Still, people keep falling for it every day. It's going to all come crashing down, I just hope it's in a year or two, not in thirty years when all these dieters start have coronaries.

I entirely agree with your comments on Atkins not just being unbalanced, but also unhealthy because of the type of foods it pushes on people. Sadly, a few of my friends follow it religiously.

[angelovernh.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you. I think it's extremely dangerous and won't even consider it. I'm a militant anti-Atkinsite. I'm losing weight fine without cutting any damn carbs, just by lowering caloric intake and increasing exercise.

[maida-mac.livejournal.com]

Some day, maybe people will actually figure out that when the authorities say that serious lifestyle change is the only way to lose weight in the long-term, they're telling the truth.

::shakes head::