(UK) Official: Atkins diet can be deadly

Guardian ^ | 09/21/03 | Jo Revill, health editor

[Pikamax]

Official: Atkins diet can be deadly

Jo Revill, health editor Sunday September 21, 2003 The Observer

The first official warning about the dangers of the Atkins diet has been issued by the Government amid concern about the rising number of people opting for the high-fat, high-protein regime. The Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for all the Government's nutritional guidance, has published a statement alerting the public to the health risks of low-carbohydrate diets, including Atkins, claiming that they are linked to heart disease, cancer and even obesity.

In the past two months senior nutritionists have held talks with the Department of Health about the slimming fad and were asked to investigate the full risks of the diet.

But Ministers, who did not want to be accused of running a 'nanny state' by issuing the warning themselves, decided that it would be best if they were distanced from the advice, by letting it come from food experts.

The dangers are clearly spelt out on the agency's website, without actually naming the Atkins diet, which has been tried by more than three million people in Britain.

'Cutting out starchy foods, or any food group, can be bad for your health because you could be missing out on a range of nutrients,' the statement says. 'This type of diet also tends to be unrealistic and dull, and not palatable enough to be tolerated for a long time.'

It adds: 'High-fat diets are also associated with obesity, which is increasing in the UK. People who are obese are more likely to develop conditions such as diabetes and some cancers. Low-carb diets tend to be high in fat, too, and eating a diet that is high in fat could increase your chances of developing coronary heart disease.'

The advice, compiled in a question-and-answer style by senior nutritionist Sam Church, states that rather than trying to avoid carbohydrates, it is better to base your meals on them so they make up one-third of your diet.

But she does not include a warning about the possible risk of kidney or liver disease for anyone who spends a long time on the diet, possibly because of lack of reliable research to back such claims.

Dr Atkins' Diet Revolution toppled Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix off the number one spot during the summer; it now stands at six the UK bestseller list, having sold more than half a million copies in the past year.

Supermarkets report a surge in meat and cheese sales and a slump in pasta and rice. The price of eggs has risen by 9 per cent, bringing fears of a shortage because devotees of the diet are using the food as a way of ensuring their daily fix of protein. Some sandwich bars are also offering 'Atkins-friendly' meals, such as chicken and salad, to respond to demand and counteract the fall in sandwich sales, as bread is on the banned list.

A spokeswoman for the Atkins company argued that research showed it was consumption of large amounts of carbohydrates with a high-glycemic index, such as white bread, white rice or white potatoes, which increased the risk of coronary heart disease.

'At all stages of Atkins, we encourage consumption of nutrient-dense foods including plenty of vegetables, with the introduction of fruits and wholegrains later in the programme as one approaches ideal weight,' she added.

[freekitty]

And next week, they will be saying that the Atkins diet is healthy again prevents cancer, heart attacks, etc.

[Nov3]

And next week, they will be saying that the Atkins diet is healthy again prevents cancer, heart attacks, etc.

It does.

[moo]

It is amazing to watch... I have been a locarb guy for 4 years. I invented low carb Ice Cream, Low Carb milk, and low yogurt...All the first in thier categories... Yet the food pyramid is still being held by the nutritionist establishment as the ONLY diet. http://www.lecarb.net Fred.

[randita]

ping

[randita]

My husband's cholesterol dropped from a dangerous 280 to a quite low 140 after 2 months on the Atkins diet. The doctor was amazed.

The anti-Atkins hysteria stems from the PETA, vegetarian crowd who can't stomach the thought that people who eat liberal portions of meat, especially red meat, can actually be quite healthy.

The hysteria will ratchet up as more and more people enjoy the benefits of the Atkins approach and tell their family and friends about it.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Who invented the food pyramid anyway? What are their credentials?

[JRandomFreeper]

Who invented the food pyramid anyway? What are their credentials?

The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). They don't need no stinking credentials, they are from the government, and they are here to help us. Whether we want it or not.

/john

[moo]

I dunno who invented the pyramid. BUT the USDA adopted it. Fred.

[CindyDawg]

I invented low carb Ice Cream, Low Carb milk, and low yogurt

Al?:')

Being fat is very bad for your health too. I'm cutting carbs and losing but Atkins to strict for me. It works though.

[SauronOfMordor]

The main things dropped are wheat and sugar. You still eat veggies and fruits on Atkins. Man evolved to eat meat, eggs, fruits and veggies. Processed grain products and sugar are late additions to the diet, and are the main things cut out

[right way right]

These people are flat earthers.

I thought that title was reserved for only us conservatives.

[PLK]

This type of diet also tends to be unrealistic and dull, and not palatable enough to be tolerated for a long time.

Ya, and that low fat diet the traditional "dieticians" recommend is a real taste treat . . . NOT!!!

The low carb diet makes perfect sense and works for millions. I knew it was the thing to try for me when I remembered what my livestock farmer father fed his cattle to "fatten" them for market, and it wasn't PROTEIN or FAT!

[sd-joe]

Who are you going to believe, Guvmnt "experts" or your own stinking eyes?

[annyokie]

ping!

[Big Giant Head]

High fat? That's not the way Atkins works. It's MODERATE fats, protiens, and low carbs. That doesn't mean NO carbs.

I swear, these people don't want to read the truth, proclaim the truth, or help people at all. They are entirely bought and sold, I guess. How much $ are they getting from this study?

[Amelia]

The Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for all the Government's nutritional guidance, has published a statement alerting the public to the health risks of low-carbohydrate diets, including Atkins, claiming that they are linked to heart disease, cancer and even obesity.

And I suppose they have research to prove this?

So far I think all the research is going in Atkins' direction....

[annyokie]

Glad to learn about hubby's health. Atkins is a win-win, IMO.

[moo]

Yea, It was corn... Like corn chips, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, as well as wheat, flour (100% wheat), most bread. Fred.

[SamAdams76]

Thanks for the ping.

Well, yet another scare-mongering article that would have one believe that a low-carb diet consists of gorging oneself with absolutely nothing but meats, eggs and cheese.

Since adopting a "normal-carb" diet (as I prefer to call it) back in April, I have dropped over 80 pounds off my body. Furthermore, I have never eaten so many vegetables and berries in my life. As well as yogurt, nuts, olive oil and other all-natural products. Yeah, I also eat meat, eggs and cheese. So what. Fact is, my health has never been better and I am at a level of fitness I have not been at since I was in my early 20s.

Here is a list of foods I gave up to go on my "normal-carb" diet: Candy, pastries, cookies, frozen foods, pies, chips, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oils, fried foods, fast foods, and sugar-sweetened drinks.

Is this article implying that I should start eating those foods again in order to have a "balanced" diet in line with that Kelloggs-Nabisco food pyramid?

[Rebelbase]

5 weeks on low carb eats and I dropped 22lbs. No more afternoon crash and burn after eating a carb filled lunch. I have more energy and looser waistline.

YEAH BABY!

[woodchukwood]

Food Pyramid a FDA/Big Business conspiracy???

http://wilstar.com/lowcarb/bigfatlie.htm

Sorry, couldn't resist... but it's still a good read.

[annyokie]

Congratulations! When I was in college, I used to eat a lot of pasta at lunch and would snooze through my afternoon classes.

I'm a firm believer in meat and veggies and the occaisonal piece of bread.

Almost 45 (did I say that?!) and holding at 130.

[Hugin]

How much $ are they getting from this study?

I don't see any mention of a study. Just the opinion of some medical bureaucrats. I did read a big article in the British press from a "nutritional expert" saying the exact same thing. Again, no study, just opinion. A follow-up story revealed she had received 25,000 pounds from the British flour manufacturers association for her "research". Of course she denied that in any way affected her opinion.

[CindyDawg]

I have given up sugar but sometimes I crave sweets. I opt for the sugar free ice cream or pie/cobblers at rest. (I don't eat the crust) I've wondered how high that stuff is in carbs though.

[SamAdams76]

I have given up sugar but sometimes I crave sweets. I opt for the sugar free ice cream or pie/cobblers at rest. (I don't eat the crust) I've wondered how high that stuff is in carbs though.

You should try giving up sweets for a while. Then, plain yogurt will start tasting like ice cream and blueberries and strawberries will become an incredibly tasty treat. Those foods are extremely good for you and will satisfy your sweet tooth. But probably not while you are still eating sweets.

[Agnes Heep]

I think the low-fat proponents don't want us to know how many people they've killed over the past few decades.

[Timesink]

This would be the same British government that steadfastly maintains that cell phones are causing children to drop dead all over the world, and a six-month wait for chemotherapy in stage 5 cancer patients is perfectly acceptable?

Yeah, I'm going to take my health "information" from these guys, sure.

[Rain-maker]

Got to keep them people rotund and complacent, then they are easier to handle when big brother takes control of their lives.


Someone should of told Atkins it was unhealthy, he passed away at 76 from head trauma. Maybe if he was fat as an ox, he could of bounced off the ground.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Thank you both for your replies. I have never been able to take the food pyramid seriously, but I couldn't say why. Now I know why.

I have followed Dr. Adkins advice for many years and have never had a weight problem.

My best wishes.

[Timesink]

What does the keyword "TURASS" mean?

[tubebender]

But she does not include a warning about the possible risk of kidney or liver disease for anyone who spends a long time on the diet, possibly because of lack of reliable research to back such claims.

There ya go...

[paulklenk]

'Cutting out starchy foods, or any food group, can be bad for your health because you could be missing out on a range of nutrients,' the statement says.

Which is why Robert Atkins includes agressive vitamin and nutrient supplements as an essential part of his diet.

Low-carb diets tend to be high in fat, too, and eating a diet that is high in fat could increase your chances of developing coronary heart disease.'

Then why are so many people burning off pound after pound of body fat -- and losing weight -- on Atkins' diet?

But she does not include a warning about the possible risk of kidney or liver disease for anyone who spends a long time on the diet, possibly because of lack of reliable research to back such claims.

Of course, Atkins, in his book, says you must visit your doctor and get extensive blood work done both before and during your diet.

Thank goodness we have nutritionists in this world. They've been doing such a bloody good job all these years, people have been gaining weight at an alarming rate. Thanks, nutrionists everywhere, for looking out for us and being bloody useless in your jobs.

Thanks, Dr. Atkins, for helping me easily lose 47 pounds and three pants sizes.

[tubebender]

You should create a file so you can just cut and paste to these bogus articles. The food industry is running scared.

[PianoMan]

You run LeCarb??? I've heard of their products and want to try their ice cream in particular, but can't find anyplace locally that stocks it.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Please tell us about your products.

[Big Giant Head]

Yeah, I posted faster than I could think. I knew it wasn't a study, or they couldn't have come to the conclusion they did.

I counted four mentions of "high fat" in the article. THey seem to want to imply that if you are on Atkins, you're just gorging on sausages dipped in lard.

The reality of the diet is to rearrange one's eating habits to something more sensible. Like the poster above mentioned, one fattens livestock with grains. Just like the "nutritional" pyramid scheme for people. This helps explain in layman language why Atkins works and the food pyramid doesn't.

A book my bro-in-law recommended to us is Natural Hormonal Enhancement. It takes Atkins, somewhat, and adds proper exercise. Interesting to me is how one must eat protein before and after exercise to prevent muscle depletion.

[PianoMan]

But she does not include a warning about the possible risk of kidney or liver disease for anyone who spends a long time on the diet, possibly because of lack of reliable research to back such claims.

A comment by the reporter well worth noting! All I used to hear was how Atkins was horrible for kidney and liver. But now even the fear-mongers aren't trying to make the case!

I am ecstatic to see Atkins sweeping the UK, I know a low-carb diet is already popular on the continent, popularized by Luc someone, I think Luc Montagnac?

[narses]

"Here is a list of foods I gave up to go on my "normal-carb" diet: Candy, pastries, cookies, frozen foods, pies, chips, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oils, fried foods, fast foods, and sugar-sweetened drinks."

Whew, beer isn't on that list!

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I have to give up the computer now, but will look for any comments from you later. Thank you.

[SamAdams76]

Nope. Beer is part of my regular diet. I allow myself up to 2 beers (or glasses of wine) a day. Not that awful low-carb stuff either but the good stuff.

[tubebender]

have a "balanced" diet in line with that Kelloggs-Nabisco food pyramid?

I just checked the unopened box of Schredded Wheat in the pantry. 40 grams of carbs in one serving...

[narses]

Hmmmm, would four be OK? I'll eat less, really I will. :)

[MarkL]

I just checked the unopened box of Schredded Wheat in the pantry. 40 grams of carbs in one serving...

Wow... I typically stay under 30 grams of carbs total every day. Isn't that stuff high in fiber? I know it's like eating a loofa sponge! What is the number of grams of fiber in it?

Mark

[Cacique]

btt

[Ditter]

I crave something sweet sometimes too. I get a little bite of peanutbutter when I need sweetness. It taste sweet if you don't eat jelly with it. Those fruit cobblers you are talking about are usually sweetened with corn syrup. (not good)

[tubebender]

6 grams of fiber...

[Hugin]

Michelob Ultra has (I think) 2.6 grams of carbs per bottle. Miller Lite has 3.2. Most other light beers are 6-7 grams or more. Regular beer, 20 grams or more.

[Xenalyte]

Just let me know when they make some more astounding advances in the dental field. Their teefus just DAZZLE me.

[CindyDawg]

Yeah I've been concerned about the NS cafeteria desserts but the ice cream doesn't . I check the labels. I do eat peanut butter and you are right. It does help. So do nuts. I would like to get off the artifical sweetened stuff also but I'm having a hard enough time with the starches right now but its a goal in the future.