Posted on 09/20/2003 4:56:31 PM PDT by 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.
I'll have to make a trip to my local Walmart Supercenter. I'm just wondering if you sell your yogurt to any retailers in the KC area?
thanks!
Mark
Gorging is what makes peple gain weight. As you say, moderation is the key. Move more, eat less. Doesn't matter very much what you eat, just eat less of it, and skip meals fairly frequently, say, 2 or 3 times a week.
Never eat when you're not hungry, and only eat when you are.
If one is healthy, there are no "precautions" necessary.
Also, the Atkins diet recommends as a "kick start" to those with a lot of weight to lose to stay off all carbs for the first two weeks, thus putting one in ketosis. There's no harm in that, except that one will need to be aware of flatulence and bad breath. Get some leafy vegetables in your diet as soon as possible.
Otherwise, Atkins is perfectly safe for everybody.
This an interesting debate. I was diagnosed with hypertension and high cholesterol just over a year ago. Med's got the blood pressure under control and The AHA diet dropped the cholesterol to acceptable levels. I still keep animal protien in my diet as I don't believe we were ment to only eat grass.
By the way, I'm not fat and I am active.
Sorry, but this is wrong also. One should NOT wait until they're hungry or one is more likely eat too much, too fast. The "grazing" method is better.
You're right though, move more, eat smarter.
It is my big splurge on occasion and tastes absolutely wonderful! My favorite is chocolate almond. Best of all, there are NO hidden carbs in it!
Invent some more stuff! :)
I have been looking for one. Is it a drinkable yogurt?
You are going to die after giving up those nutrient laden foods!
Thereby explaining perfectly why the obesity rate has gone up while everyone has been obsessing about lowfat diets for the last decade.
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.
Oh, the irony of it!
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