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Two Studies Vindicate Atkins Diet
WCCO News Online ^ | 5/21/03 | A/P

Posted on 05/21/2003 2:20:12 PM PDT by Johnny Gage

Two Studies Vindicate Atkins Diet

May 21, 2003 4:00 pm US/Central (AP) A month after Dr. Robert C. Atkins' death, his much-ridiculed diet has received its most powerful scientific support yet: two studies in one of medicine's most distinguished journals show it really does help people lose weight faster without raising their cholesterol.

The research, in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, found that people on the high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet lose twice as much weight over six months as those on the standard low-fat diet recommended by most major health organizations.

However, one of the studies found that the Atkins dieters regain much of the weight by the end of one year.

Atkins, who died April 17 at age 72 after falling and hitting his head on an icy sidewalk, lived to see several shorter studies that found, to researchers' great surprise, that his diet is effective and healthy in the short run.

Although those reports have been presented at medical conferences, none until now has been published in a top-tier journal. And one of the studies in the journal lasted a year, making it the longest one yet.

"For the last 20 years that I've been helping people lose weight, I've been trashing the Atkins diet -- without any real data to rely on," said Dr. Michael Hamilton, an obesity researcher who was not part of either study. "Now we have some data to give us some guidance."

Now, he said, he would neither trash it nor endorse it. "I'm going to say I don't know. The evidence isn't in," he said.

One study ran six months and was conducted by the Veterans Affairs Department; the yearlong study was led by Gary D. Foster, who runs the weight-loss program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Atkins' diet books have sold 15 million copies since the first one was published in 1972. From the start, doctors branded the Atkins diet foolish and dangerous, warning that the large amounts of beef and fat would lead to sky-high cholesterol levels. In both studies, the Atkins dieters generally had better levels of "good" cholesterol and triglycerides, or fats in the blood. There was no difference in "bad" cholesterol or blood pressure. Dr. Frederick F. Samaha of the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, who led the VA study, said both studies indicate that people do lose more weight on Atkins, "but the difference is not great."

The 132 men and women in the VA study started out weighing an average of 286 pounds. After six months, those on the Atkins diet had lost an average of 12.8 pounds, those on the low-fat diet 4.2.

The other study involved 63 participants who weighed an average of 217 pounds at the start. After six months, the Atkins group lost 15.4 pounds, the group on the standard diet 7.

But at the end of a year, the Atkins dieters had regained about a third of the weight. Their net loss averaged 9.7 pounds. The low-fat dieters had regained about one-fifth of the weight, for a net loss of 5.5 pounds.

The year-end difference was not big enough to tell whether it was caused by the diets, Foster said.

About 40 percent of the patients dropped out of each study. And while supporters of the Atkins diet say it is easier to stick with, people on the Atkins regimen were just as likely to drop out as people on the standard diets.

The important finding, Foster said, is that the Atkins diet appears to be a healthy short-term way to lose weight. Nobody has studied it long enough to tell whether it is a healthy way to maintain that loss, he said.

Collette Heimowitz, director of education and research at Atkins Health and Medical Information Services, said people there were not surprised by the weight loss and improved cholesterol.

"But I'm thrilled that serious researchers are taking a hard look at the program, so that health care professionals and physicians would find comfort in offering Atkins as an alternative to the one-size-fits-all hypothesis of low-fat, low-calorie," she said.

The studies did not convince Kathleen Zelman, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

"There's never been any denying that low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets such as Atkins do, absolutely, cause weight loss," she said. "But do they hold up over time and can you stay on them over time?"

From Foster's study, it does not look like it, she said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: atkins; diet; lowcarb
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To: Snerfling
Nope, the food pyramid--with grains as the base--was instituted to get us to support the grain industry.

So now we have an obesity epidemic, because people have been beefing up on what farmers use to fatten their cattle for the market!
61 posted on 05/21/2003 4:17:54 PM PDT by texasbluebell
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To: Snerfling
It's not only A very unhealthy way of eating, it is THE most unhealthy way of eating. Atkins combined the obvious ie don't eat food processed with sugar or dairy/shortening (ie pasta, bread, cake, candy, etc) with the easy: meat.

What's really crazy is that he has cast the world's staples in a negative light: oats, rice, wheat and potatoes. These should be over 50% of most people's daily diets (without butter/sour cream). The rest should be fruits/vegetables.

Most dieticians would probably think meat at 10% is too high; I make a concession and go crazy on week-ends BBQing fish, chicken, steak, pork, etc., but I know not to do this more than 2 times per week.
____________

I agree....it is extremely unhealthy.....

After doin' this for 23 years, I saw Atkins come and go in the 70's.....
I have had to deal with the post Atkins fallout over the years (hyperlipidemia, hypertension, keto-acidotic respiratory failure, massive fecal impactions, macroalbuminemia)....and rebound weight gain....over and over and over.....

I don't disagree with the need to cut out the refined carbs.....but you still need 50% of your kcal per day from CHO for brain function (don't get me started on the obvious)

Yet, all things in moderation (ya have to stay sane too ;) )
62 posted on 05/21/2003 4:24:11 PM PDT by najida (Yes I have a truck, and no, I won't help you move.)
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To: Johnny Gage
I don't know, I just can't imagine not eating pizza, donuts, burgers (with the bun) candy, or ice cream.

Of course my diet consists of a lot of sports and eating what I want. So I guess everyone gives up something.
63 posted on 05/21/2003 4:26:59 PM PDT by Michael2001
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To: dead
well now you can have your beer to. I didn't think the michalob ultra was that bad. but then I'm not a big beer drinker to start with, to me they all taste about the same.
64 posted on 05/21/2003 4:33:39 PM PDT by tickles
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To: Senator Pardek
Actually, Atkins latest book "Atkins for Life" strongly encourages if not insists you must exercise (both cardio and weights).

65 posted on 05/21/2003 4:40:14 PM PDT by Lanza
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To: LibertarianLiz
One side note: both my hubby and I have pretty much stood still on our weight loss after about 7 months. Anyone else experience this? We haven't gained it back, but haven't lost any more either.>>>>>>>

just hang in there. even atkins dieters can come to plateaus'. I don't follow atkins but do a different controlled carb way and i haven't lost any in the past couple of months, and I had lost only about half of what I want to, 30 lbs. That took me about 6 months, it would be nice if the last 30 would leave to.
66 posted on 05/21/2003 4:41:03 PM PDT by tickles
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
The cravings for DONUTS, PIZZA, ICE CREAM, CHOCOLATE MALTS, PANCAKES WITH MAPLE SYRUP and such things eventually go away. I hope

My experience was that the physical cravings went first. The psychological cravings took time.

67 posted on 05/21/2003 4:43:31 PM PDT by decimon
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To: SoDak
I know people who lost 60lbs in 6 month, but they followed the diet religiously. I started atkins about 4-5 weeks ago. Its doing very well for me. I am actually trying to gain weight while lowering my body fat %.
68 posted on 05/21/2003 4:47:05 PM PDT by BrooklynGOP
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To: najida
I have done pre-gastric by-pass counseling and all of them have the 'Atkins Diet' on their list of failed weight loss plans. They all lost massive amounts of weight, but gained it back over the years.

If you don't have the willpower to stay on it, of course you're going to gain the weight back. My mother's going though pre-gastric counseling now and they made that clear; it's not that any given diet X is "a failure," it's just that some people either do not have the willpower to stick to any eating plan, or else have other problems (incredibly slow metabolism, etc) that makes diets not worth the trouble for certain people.

69 posted on 05/21/2003 4:54:52 PM PDT by Timesink
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To: dead
BTW, beer is out for me now. Margaritas are in.

Vodka, the Atkins dieter's friend!

70 posted on 05/21/2003 4:55:46 PM PDT by Timesink
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To: Twinkie
Dr. Atkin's diet didn't do him a lick of good in the long run.

I can understand that. That is why I won't quit smokin' cigarettes. I might get hit by a truck!
I may as well smoke.

71 posted on 05/21/2003 4:59:47 PM PDT by carenot
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To: Johnny Gage
bump
72 posted on 05/21/2003 5:00:00 PM PDT by VOA
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To: sharktrager
I'm drinking tons more water, but it hasn't cleared up totally yet. I never used to drink water - diet soda all day, beer at night. That's healthy living.
73 posted on 05/21/2003 5:04:30 PM PDT by dead
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To: Notforprophet
Yoo Hoo
74 posted on 05/21/2003 5:04:59 PM PDT by carenot
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To: chicagolady
I've been eating cherries constantly, but I haven't found the capsules yet. I'll look for them.
75 posted on 05/21/2003 5:06:13 PM PDT by dead
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To: Johnny Gage
"There's never been any denying that low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets such as Atkins do, absolutely, cause weight loss," she said. "But do they hold up over time and can you stay on them over time?"

Yup. Been on a low carb (100 grams per day) for a long time. I exercise and do lots of gardening so 100 grams is permissible. No blood sugar spikes. No blood lipid problems. No cravings.

What's so unnatural about a diet rich in eggs, cheese, natural and animal fats, meat, veggies, fruit, and soy based baked goods.

What's so natural about a diet loaded in refined sugars, sodas, refined flours, and artificial low fat deserts that taste like industrial waste with all the additives? Ever check the ingredients list of these products. Scarey...
76 posted on 05/21/2003 5:09:23 PM PDT by OpusatFR (Using pretentious arcane words to buttress your argument means you don't have one)
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To: LibertarianLiz
Tty Russell Stover's Suger Free Solid Dark Chocolate from Walmart. The Carbolite chocolates are great too! Also at Walmart.

You know it's popular if Walmart carries the stuff
77 posted on 05/21/2003 5:29:44 PM PDT by FreeKnight (Strength and Honor)
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To: LibertarianLiz
The answer would be for someone to invent sweets with zero carbs.

I get that chocolate craving every afternoon! I give in too often and blame it on hormones.

78 posted on 05/21/2003 5:33:52 PM PDT by BlueAngel
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To: Johnny Gage

What good tasting foods are there that are high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate and lower sugar as mentioned in the article ?

There are only so many ways one is able to make a tuna fish on dark rye sandwich or eat only cans of sardines and ice water.


79 posted on 05/21/2003 5:39:56 PM PDT by pyx
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To: Twinkie
You feel so much better when your weight is near what the charts say it should be. That's the reason I am trying to get back down there. You sleep better, every joint in your body doesn't ache when you wake up, and your chances of having to inject yourself with insulin several times a day decreases dramatically.

And Atkins fell on his head and died at a ripe old age when he was still fit. That's the way to do it.
80 posted on 05/21/2003 7:02:03 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help support terrorism.)
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