DIET FAD $TARVING US: FIRMS

NY Post ^ | May 16, 2004 | STEPHANIE O'BRIEN

[Pharmboy]

May 16, 2004 -- Dr. Atkins' disciples are eating major food companies alive. The low-carb diet trend is turning the stomachs of the makers of traditional staples like bread and pasta, who are blaming their shrinking profits on shrinking waistlines.

[Pharmboy]

Wow...I didn't know the pasta company filed for bankruptcy.

Hey food companies: get with the program--low carb is where it's at.

[anniegetyourgun]

At least for now.

[dawn53]

At least for now.

LOL, that's a true statement.

[Caipirabob]

Wow...I didn't know the pasta company filed for bankruptcy.

Pasta Company? I thought it grew on trees. I read it on DU.

JOKING! I'm joking...really!

[LurkedLongEnough]

Let's see - America's number one health "issue" is obesity.

The low-carb diet fights obesity, which is good.

However, American businesses are hurt by low sales because people who are fat are eating other foods. The sales in those foods, like eggs and meat, have soared, but we forgot to report that.

Therefore, these high-carb company bankruptcies are Bush's fault.

</sarcasm>

[Pharmboy]

Nope--I think this is the real deal. As hunter gatherers (the way humans were for 99% of their time so far) it is difficult to get large amounts of carbs. In order to do that, agriculture has to happen, and then you have to grind the corn or wheat or barley so you can make concentrated delivery systems--like bread or pasta. Or, just eat a lot of rice. Our metabolic systems via our genes are set for this existence and not the super-size McDonald's type.

And from the metabolic point of view, carbs are the enemy as they do a lot of bad stuff--like increasing insulin secretion.

The low-fat craze for the past 20 years proved one thing: when you lower fat intake (which we did quite dramatically as a nation during this time) and increase carbs, you get fat.

[grania]

At least for now.Exactly. The public and corporate America will come to a compromise. The manufactures will start producing stuff with less crap in it (paricularly that high-fructose corn syrup), let us sweeten and salt our own foods, realize that foods should be less processed, and we'll eat their products again.

The solution really isn't rocket science for them.

[Pharmboy]

The problem is, they will need to re-tool and businesses hate to do that if they don't have to.

[Mamzelle]

I'm not surprised that these feedlots are hurting--but there's a flip side to success of lo-carb eating.

It's not cheap--good quality proteins and fresh green veggies are expensive.

I read of incidents at feedlots like "Ryan's" restaurants refusing to keep serving the roast beef to customers who want more protein than starch. Their profits depend on customers eating the desserts and potatoes and noodles, instead of the fish and chicken and roasts.

It's nice that places like Ruby Tuesday have wonderful offerings for locarbers--but they are significantly more expensive than the menu plates with carbs.

Perhaps there'll be more people eating at home...?

[RGSpincich]

Not for a minute do I believe this "major eating habit trend" BS. Sales are only off by single digit numbers. Pasta carbs are still the best calories for anybody that exercises or has a manual labor job. Which includes 90% of the world population I would imagine.

[Reo]

The solution really isn't rocket science for them."

Rule # 1 in business survival....don't blame the customer....just give 'em what they want. Carbs are going the way of the beaver hat, the buggy whip, and the 8-track tape.

[AlbionGirl]

This'll probably turn around in 10 years or so when they find an increase in colo-rectal cancer and kidney disease in consumers of high protein. We don't work physically like hunter-gatherers did, and we probably don't quite utilize and assimilate the protein in quite the same way as they did.

And they ate quite a bit of fruit if it was available to them. The limiting of fruits is very counter intuitive to me. I refuse to believe that an orange, a banana and similarly glycemic indexed fruit, per day is bad for me.

I think 50% protein, 25% fat and 25% carbs is a healthy diet. Combine this w/exercise and your bound to be as healthy as your genetic fate allows.

High protein diets should have this disclaimer: 'Atkins and the boys, cures obseity and peristalsis all in one fell swoop.' And don't forget, they're trying to sell you something too.

[Pharmboy]

Sorry to disagree, but I must. Huge carb intakes lead to obesity as well as a condition know as the Metabolic Syndrome. This is a combination of risk factors in obese people with the genetic predisposition. It consists of (mainly) abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar readings (either diabetes or close to it) and abnormalities in blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides. Google it.

[clyde asbury]

Atkins is only the latest in a growing list of excuses for gluttony.

One or two years ago, the "reason" for obesity was that restaurant portions were too big.

"Why am I fat? The restaurant gave me too much food. Yeah, that's it!"

A few weeks ago, CBS's Sunday Morning was whining that clothing designers were making sizes larger than in the past. Not only that, but urban planners were specifically named as contributing to obesity by making the seats in public transportation larger than in the past.

Everything under the sun is to blame except the person who eats too much.

"The sun! That's it! If the sun didn't shine, then plants wouldn't grow. If plants didn't grow, then the cows wouldn't have food, and they would die. If there were no cows, then ..."

[Maigrey]

Well, let's see.

Whining because you missed out on the eating phase, and you didn't react fast enough to catch a lion's share of the market, and you aren't happy about it.

Get over it.

[anniegetyourgun]

Bottom line for me is that I'm not buying anymore lies about food.

[RGSpincich]

Huge carb intakes lead to obesity

I would agree with that. And I will look into the other stuff.

I've experimented with various home style diets, carbs and no carbs, while running grueling mountain courses. Carbs kick in, for me, and the fatigue wall falls. I know, one guy experiments don't get published. LOL.

[InvisibleChurch]

the tribbles died of this type of diet years ago

[kdot]

How about a "moderation diet", including exercise.

I agree that Atkins will run its course. Those true believers will continue in their low-carb ways, and trend-lovers will try the next diet. I say - whatever works for you!

But, what I also know is that our kids are so confused they don't know what to eat. Why is my 9 year old's friend "On Atkins"? Maybe she is growing OUT before she grows UP? Are we creating a climate that will result in trial-and-error excitement for adults, but dangerous eating disorders for our teenagers? Let's face it, the low carb revolution is obnoxious and in our faces. I'm not overweight, but have often been asked if I "really want to eat all that bread." Low-carbs=evangalism.

[Agnes Heep]

There obviously should be a mandatory daily intake of carbs set for the American public. How else are we going to protect the jobs of the carb workers that are being squeezed out by Atkins?