Atkins Diet Plan -- Are Low Carb Diets Doomed?

According to Veronica Atkins, the widow of Dr. Robert Atkins, the cause of his death was from falling on a slippery sidewalk with subsequent irreversible brain damage (from a CNN interview, February, 2004). Many critics of the Atkins Diet Plan claim the fall was due to a heart attack. This has not been verified to date.

He was 72 years old.

With all due respect to Veronica Atkins, I would like to assume Dr. Atkins did in fact suffer a fatal heart attack. This is in order to answer the following questions...

  • Is it right to use his death as evidence against the safety of the Atkins Diet Plan and other low Carb diets?

  • Does the recent bankruptcy of the Atkins Corporation provide evidence for the ineffectiveness of low Carb diets?

  • Many critics of low Carb diets say yes to both questions, but are they right?

    • The Atkins Diet Plan & Cardiovascular Risk

    Medically speaking, it is incorrect to associate Dr. Atkins' fatal heart attack to the use of his low Carb diet. There are two reasons for coming to this conclusion.

  • The increased risk for cardiovascular events associated with Atkins Diet Plan are not from restricting carbohydrates. Instead, the higher risk of cardiovascular events comes from replacing carbohydrates with foods high in saturated fats.

  • Dr. Atkins died at the age of 72. Beyond the age of 72, the risk for a cardiovascular event is the same for everyone. Granted, he was diagnosed with a cardiomyopathy (diseased heart muscle) when he was 69 and he suffered a heart attack in early 2004.

    However, both events occurred well above the age of 55...the cut off used for men to assign an increased risk for cardiovascular events to their first degree relatives. He was at an age which allows for the exclusion of any significant cardiovascular risk passing to his children.

    • From an epidemiology view point, risk behaviors like smoking or eating a high fat diet are no longer considered as primary contributors in Dr. Atkins' death.

    Yes, eating a high fat diet may have played a role, but this is only speculation. Because Dr. Atkins was 72 at the time of his death, no risk for similar events is passed onto his first degree relatives and the risk for cardiovascular events is the same for everyone at that age.

    With all due respect, he died of old age. To blame the Atkins Diet Plan and low Carb diets in general is medically irresponsible. At 72 years old, there are several factors to consider when faced with a fatal heart attack, including the aging process itself.

    Veronica Atkins was quoted by CNN...

    "My husbands health at the time of his death is a sad and distracting sideshow, taking time away from an intelligent debate of the known science."

    For a more detailed discussion on cardiovascular risk and age, please visit...

    www.medscape.com

    Low Carb Bankruptcy -- Evidence for its Ineffectiveness?

    The only correct way to measure a diet's effectiveness (or lack there of) is to study the evidence provided by clinical trials. Recently, a few good studies have reported on the effectiveness of the Atkins Diet Plan and other low Carb diets.

    In short, low Carb diets, measured at one year, are safe and effective in helping dieters lose weight.

    Like all diet types, the evidence for long term effectiveness (2 to 5 years) is sparse and inconsistent.

    Cardiovascular risk increases for some dieters on low Carb diets, not because of the carbohydrate restriction, but because of the consumption of foods high in fat. Also, sticking with the low Carb diet appears to be tough for most dieters beyond one year.

    And lastly, low Carb diets that promote long stages of measurable ketosis may cause rapid weight loss that is too extreme. This is a great way to guarantee weight regain in the near future.

    Conclusion

    Atkins death, from whatever the cause, can not be associated with his diet because he was 72 years old at the time of his death. Even if Dr. Atkins' death could be associated with his diet, no correlations could be made to similar low Carb diets, too much variation exists between them.

    Bankruptcy does not belong in a scientific discussion of a diet's effectiveness.

    To Healthy Living!

    Michael A. Smith, MD
    Chief Medical Consultant
    Diet Basics Web Site

    Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for Diet Basics, a content rich weight loss website dedicated to all dieters. Please visit his site at...

    The Weight Loss Professional

    In The News:

    pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    Welcome to the Middle Aged Diet

    You are not a kid any more and becoming a... Read More

    Weight Loss for Good ? The 80/20 Rule!

    Have you ever thought, "I just can not seem to... Read More

    Let?s Talk About Fad Diets

    Although the big push for fad diets has died down... Read More

    How to Design the Perfect Diet

    All Diets Are Based on the Same Premise: Eat Less... Read More

    Gene?s Diet Plan

    Hot dang! If a few hundred other folks can peddle... Read More

    Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss #1

    I am so grateful that you're taking steps to take... Read More

    Weight Loss: Where to find Hidden Calories

    If you have been eating as usual and the pounds... Read More

    Reasons for Obesity

    Causes of ObesityJust like there is no weight loss pill... Read More

    Anti-aging: Is It Really Possible?

    Although it is obviously not possible to turn the clock... Read More

    Weight Gain = Poor Quality of Life

    Gaining up to 20 pounds over four years can significantly... Read More

    A Mediterranean Diet - How to Lose Weight Safely

    If you are looking for a way to lose fifteen... Read More

    Diet Tactics You Must Know To Lose Fat?

    This article is about making long-term changes in the foods... Read More

    Weight Loss Efficiency ? 10 Ways To Make The Most Out Of Your Gym Workout!

    My name is Greg Ryan. I am a high profile... Read More

    How To Avoid Gaining the Holiday 7

    As the holidays approach, a frequent question from my clients... Read More

    Serious Dieting Tips, Humorous Explanations

    A few months ago, I set out to lose 22.6... Read More

    Obesity and Fat Control Myths

    - Are your ideas of obesity and fat control based... Read More

    Conspiracy Foods, The Inside Story about the Mass Produced Foods that are Making Society Sick

    Food manufacturers can easily manipulate a whole population by the... Read More

    Go for Scientific Weight Loss

    Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a... Read More

    Dieting While Partying!

    It's really difficult for a person to socialise if he... Read More

    Healthy and Fast Weight Loss: Ephedra - Why the FDA Couldnt Keep Their Ban On It?

    Why was the FDA trying to hide the facts about... Read More

    Help! My Kids are Overweight!

    If you have recently found yourself fretting over your child's... Read More

    When Losing Weight Seems Hopeless

    Sometimes it's good to just let the feelings flow. Take... Read More

    Loose 10 Pounds by Drinking Water?

    Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More

    The Lies You May Have Been Told About Ephedra, and How They May End Up Improving Your Life

    Losing Weight quickly and easily has become one of the... Read More

    Your Weight Loss Problem: How To Cure It By Watching Movies Or Reading Books!

    I don't know anything about you but if you're anything... Read More

    Fibre And Weight Loss: How Closely Are They Connected?

    The incidences of deseases like obesity, diabetes, colon deseases etc.are... Read More

    The Truth About Counting Calories And Weight Loss

    Do calories matter or do you simply need to eat... Read More

    Weight Loss, Exercise, and Bodybuilding Tips ? Keeping Your Body-Fat Low: Part 7 of 10

    People usually quit weightloss and exercise programs for one of... Read More

    5 Simple Steps to Start Your Weight Loss Program

    Remember there's more to you than meets the eye. You've... Read More

    Weight Loss Plateaus -- 7 Easy Steps to Overcome It

    Have you ever experienced this scenario before?"I have successfully lost... Read More

    When Dieting Should You Weigh Yourself Every Day?

    How to Break the Weighing HabitFace it, if you weigh... Read More

    Vinegar and Weight Loss

    The Sour Truth -------------------------- Question: I had a baby 6... Read More

    Is Low-Carb Really The Way To Go?

    The latest trend in the area of weight loss is... Read More