Report: Diet Doctor Atkins Was Obese

Yahoo/AP ^ | 2/10/2004 | AP

[ClintonBeGone]

NEW YORK - Dr. Robert Atkins, whose popular diet stresses protein-rich meat and cheese over carbohydrates, weighed 258 pounds at his death and had a history of heart disease, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Atkins died last April at age 72 after being injured in a fall on an icy street.

Before his death, he had suffered a heart attack, congestive heart failure and hypertension, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a report by the city medical examiner.

At 258 pounds, the 6-foot-tall Atkins would have qualified as obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites)'s body-mass index calculator.

Diet is one potential factor in heart disease, but infections also can contribute to it.

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.

Atkins' weight was due to bloating associated with his condition, and he had been much slimmer during most of his life, Trager said.

The medical examiner's report was given to the Journal by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a group that advocates vegetarianism. The medical examiner's office told the Journal that the report had been sent to the group in error.

There was no immediate response Tuesday to a call seeking additional comment from the medical examiner's office.

The diet guru's widow, Veronica Atkins, was outraged that the report had been made public.

"I have been assured by my husband's physicians that my husband's health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet or any diet," she told the Journal.

Last month, Veronica Atkins demanded an apology from Mayor Michael Bloomberg after Bloomberg called her late husband "fat."

In April 2002, Atkins issued a statement saying he was recovering from cardiac arrest related to a heart infection he had suffered from "for a few years." He said it was "in no way related to diet."

[ClintonBeGone]

I will not stop until eating vegetables, fruits and grains is 100% illegal.

You're just going to have to stay off those Heinies!

[MaryFromMichigan]

Ah, "baby fever" or baby cravings as my hubby called it! :)
We didn't get our girl till our fourth.

See my tag line?

[Yardstick]

Most criticism of the Atkins diet is an oblique criticism of capitalism. Corporations, SUV's, cows -- the Left hates all of these. They're all just particular manifestations of greedy bourgeois decadence.

There's an ideological angle to everything.

[xzins]

I just heard a piece on foxnews from his wife.

He fell and hit his head.

The official cause of death is that fall and the injury to his head.

The viral infection in his heart was an entirely separate issue unrelated to his death. Last I checked, eating protein doesn't cause the spontaneous reproduction of viruses.

[mariejlt]

Elephants and Hippos are huge ... and are Vegas ... and I think they are beautiful. Cats left alone to hunt for food will eat the whole animal fat included. They sleep 21 hours a day, are lean and mean, I think cats are beautiful too. The only fat cats you see are those who live in houses and eat processed cat food, but there is something beautiful about fat cats too. I am so sick of being told what to eat, and what is beautiful . So there!

[lsucat]

I went on an extremely low fat diet in the early 90's. I lost a good bit of weight and looked great. I didn't feel so good though. I had my gall bladder out a year later. I'm convinced there was a connection between the gall stones and the diet. I wasn't forty, by the way. I was nineteen!

[Mamzelle]

And lots of men get gallbladder disease--but the 5F profile is still where most of the cases are.

[my right]

Who is the opposition to the Atkins Plan: Pasta Companies???

I think who is really behind this is the makers of cholesterol reducing manuf. like zocor. If you do a search on cholesterol myths you can find a ton of info that shows that this is a industry that is as contrary to facts as second hand smoke.

[HungarianGypsy]

My husband and I cannot do the Atkins plan (my husband having a history of gout, me not being able to eat beef without feeling sick), but it's just silly how these people keep trying to find anything to ruin Atkins' image. A few months ago a BMI chart was listed in Reader's Digest. My 6'0" tall, 200 pound husband was considered overweight according to the chart.

[Moleman]

Thank you. Yes I have read that the sugar in beer is the worst of any alcohol. I do not want to give up beer but think I will switch to red wine- just a nice glass before bed time in-lieu-of my normal 6+ beers per night. No wonder I have a "beer belly"

[Moleman]

Well that is good news! I think I will first try wine just a glass but the beers you recommend sound delicious.
How did I know you would recommend a Sam Adams :-)
Freezing here in Michigan but we have a new treadmill that needs some miles put on it. Regards, Dan

[Joshua]

And a diet high in Carbs promotes healthy kidneys?

[24Karet]

I completely agree. My heartburn and acid reflux stopped when I began Atkins last year. My cholesterol has gone down in Triglycerides and LDL.

I fully agree with this plan, especially in eating un-processed foods. That is a big plus.

Rolling Rock now has Rock Green Light beer, which is 2.6 carbs each and tastes better than Michelob Ultra. Most beers taste better than M.Ult.

Even the TGIFriday's Atkins menu isn't all that bad. I think the sizzling chicken is great, with a side of broccoli is much healthier than fries.

[Joshua]

"You've really hit the nail on the head. Next response will be the "I had a friend that was on Atkins and when she stopped, she gained all the weight back and then some." :) "

Most of the people against this diet are the ones who don't have the willpower to give up the sweets, pasta,and bread. The " everything is OK if done in moderation" crowd. (Only 2 slices of bread with your pasta and of course low fat Ice Cream for dessert)

[Revolting cat!]

Shame on those libs! First they lie about Atkins being dead, then they lie about him getting fat after he got dead!

[Tauzero]

Considering he was diabetic to boot, no.

[11th Earl of Mar]

No, I mean 400 CARBS or 600 CARBS per day for a bodybuilder.

But that is not all all year around, only in the off season.

[ClintonBeGone]

My husband and I cannot do the Atkins plan (my husband having a history of gout, me not being able to eat beef without feeling sick),

Oh, how can you be Hungarian and not be able to eat beef? I thought it was genetic?? :) There are so many alternatives to beef. If you really need to diet you should try to do it with chicken, fish, etc. What is the conflict with gout and atkins? Can't he just take an iodine supplement?

[ClintonBeGone]

The only fat cats you see are those who live in houses and eat processed cat food, but there is something beautiful about fat cats too.

I've been trying to get my feline to do the Catkins diet, but she's not going for it. :)

[tubebender]

I saw Atkins on L. King Alive three times last year and he did not appear that heavy. I have a mild heart condition that requires me to take antibiotics before such things as a dental cleaning. The viral infection that Atkins had has nothing to do with his diet routine. As a matter of fact had he been consuming lots of carbs he probably would have been dead years before his fall...