ATKINS ALERT

THE DAILY RECORD ^ | Aug 13 2003 | Keith Mcleod

[carlo3b]

News
ATKINS ALERT

Aug 13 2003

Diet followers at risk, says expert

Keith Mcleod

SLIMMERS following the controversial Atkins diet are gambling with their health, a nutrition expert has warned.

Dr Susan Jebb said it would be "negligent" to recommend the diet, favoured by stars such as Geri Halliwell and Catherine Zeta-Jones, to anyone overweight.

Millions of people around the world have tried the low-carbohydrate, high-protein regime.

But Dr Jebb, of the Medical Research Council's Human Nutrition Research Centre in Cambridge, said its claimed benefits were based on "pseudo-science".

She argued that, despite a number of studies, no one knew what the long- term effects might be.

Dr Robert Atkins, who developed the diet, believed that carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables made the body produce too much insulin.

He claimed that led to hunger and weight gain.

His answer was to avoid such foods and eat unlimited amounts of fat and protein, leading the body to burn fat.

But Dr Jebb said such a dramatic change in eating habits was a leap in the dark.

For most people, protein accounts for a mere 15 per cent of their calorie intake. But much higher levels are eaten on the Atkins diet.

Dr Jebb said: "We simply do not know the long-term health implications.

"I certainly think we should be adopting a precautionary principle in terms of public health."

Her warning comes two months after two teams of American scientists declared the Atkins diet was effective and safe.

They found that over six months, 63 Atkins slimmers lost almost twice as much weight, an average of one and a half stone.

After a year, the gap had closed though, with the Atkins dieters down to an average weight loss of a stone compared with half a stone for others.

But Dr Jebb said the studies were too limited to provide meaningful evidence.

Dr Atkins died in April, aged 72, after slipping on ice outside his New York office and hitting his head.

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[BibChr]

Dan, it doesn't sound like it effects you either. I hate you because of that :)

D'oh! So many hate me for my good looks! NOT!

I don't know, maybe it's slowing me down. But I figure, I'm losing, I'm happy, thank God and don't mess with it.

Dan

[visualops]

Because sugar changes the freeze properties. You'll need to sub something for the sugar to keep it from freezing solid. Perhaps sugar free/diet pudding or a gelatin(jello).

[MHT]

Americans have forgotten something that was part of every fifth grade textbook--Carbs turn to sugar and most calories come from sugar. If you want to lose weight, eat fewer calories and exercise more. (Heck, even a walk across a parking lot is more than most people do now.) Protein was promoted as muscle food. (The brain was considered the greatest muscle and they used to worry about feeding the brain. Needless to say, that's a low priority of modern education.)

More than fast-food restaurants, I would like to see someone sue the federal government over that stupid food pyramid that shows you need something like 10 servings of carbohydrates a day. Or sue a school district that counts a carrot stick as your vegetable while loading a plate with beans, bread, and a tablespoon serving of meat.

[MHT]

My neighbor is doing it and has commented that eating Atkins is like being back on the farm as a boy. They used to eat eggs and back everymore and little bread. Bread was home-made and took alot of time to make. They ate alot of chicken and more green vegetables, which were put aside everyfall. And look how long and healthily many of those farm folk lived, especially if they didn't smoke.

[PhilipFreneau]

Found this on the low-carb news group. Information on Dr. Susan Jebb . . .

Begins here...



a quick search for teh good doctor - my notes are in {}

{interesting She is not a Doctor of medicine}

Susan Jebb obtained a degree in nutrition and State Registration in Dietetics from the University of Surrey before moving to Cambridge where she was awarded her doctorate in 1990.

She is currently Head of Nutrition and Health research at the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research (HNR) centre in Cambridge. Her research focuses on the role of nutrition in obesity and its related diseases. In addition she is Deputy Chair of the UK Association for the Study of Obesity.

Susan is a regular contributor to media features on nutrition and health and also acts as an advisor to a variety of food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/profiles/susan_jebb.shtml

{so she is not an independent expert but one of the BBC's paid staff and she is also }

""""" an advisor to a variety of food, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies"""""

{why does that not surprise me}

the Unit has only been in place for 3 years MRC Human Nutrition Research (HNR) is one of many MRC centres of excellence in the Cambridge area. We have been in existence for three years

---

Biography Dr Susan Jebb

Dr Susan Jebb is Head of Nutrition and Health Research at the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research centre in Cambridge. Susan is a nutrition scientist and a State Registered Dietitian and has a particular interest in the role of dietary factors in the aetiology and treatment of obesity and its related metabolic diseases. Susan is currently Chair of the UK Association for the Study of Obesity and is working with government, industry, health professionals and consumer groups to develop effective public health strategies to tackle obesity. She is also a member of the Joint Health Claims Initiative Expert Panel
(http://www.jhci.org.uk/about.htm) assessing nutrition-related health claims in the UK.

http://www.britassoc.org.uk/scicomm/Obesity%20SPA/biog%20Susan%20J.pdf

---

{hhmm - there is no hidden agenda here of course}

The Secretariat: assists companies wishing to make health claims, advising enforcement and self-regulatory bodies and trade associations regarding claims' validity and making complaints about illegal or dubious health claims to enforcement and self- regulatory bodies from http://www.jhci.org.uk/about.htm

{oh and the advice is not free - they are paid for it}

---

{this one is good}

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/321463.stm

To address the problem, the Bread for Life campaign commissioned Dr Susan Jebb, head of nutrition and health at the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research Centre in Cambridge, to identify risk factors for
individuals and to draw up strategies to combat obesity.

The risk factors identified by Dr Jebb in her report, The Weight of the Nation: Obesity in the UK, include:

A high fat diet
Low levels of physical activity
Parental obesity

Consuming a diet with less fat and a greater emphasis on carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates, such as bread, is a proven strategy for weight control. "Complex carbohydrates can help curb appetite and subsequent snacking by makng you feel full."

---

from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2001/11/13/hfood13.xml

But obesity, says Dr Jebb, is a two-fold problem. "We worry about massive and even moderate overweight, because it can lead to diabetes, heart disease, raised blood pressure and premature death.

"As well as helping the overweight shed their pounds, some functional foods could be as, if not more, important in improving their long-term health prospects."

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Carbohydrates at the low end of the glycaemic index are best for you. These include soya beans, lentils, low-fat yogurt, rye bread, apples and dried apricots. Food with a high glycaemic effect causes surges of insulin and it is rapidly converted to blood glucose. The risk, especially for overweight people, is an increase in insulin resistance and the development of adult diabetes. High-level glycaemic foods - cornflakes, french fries, white bread or rice, mashed potato, biscuits, fizzy drinks and pizza - also leave you feeling empty quickly and ready for another glycaemic binge. Remember to choose well-established functional foods, such as muesli. A low glycaemic flour is being researched. Meal substitutes Slimfast is the most researched meal substitute, perhaps because the company was one of the few prepared to sponsor studies. Results suggest that very low-calorie diets, in which the entire food intake is replaced with nutritionally complete formulae, are associated with significant weight loss. But they do require great dedication by the dieter, and research into long-term weight maintenance has yet to be carried out. Milkshakes or cereal bars designed to replace one or two meals a day are "a promising approach", says Dr Jebb. Dr Doyle agrees, but adds: "Don't forget that filling up on fruit and vegetables can achieve a similar effect."

---

other endorsements include
http://www.tanita.co.uk/home_profile.cfm

We believe that the recent appointments of Dr Susan Jebb and Professor Andrew Prentice to TMAB, will further strengthen Tanita's position as a responsible and ethical source for obesity-related information and products.


{While I personally agree that some of the biochemical claims of the Atkinites are rather off the wall teh results are nevertheless pretty astonishing and deserve further investigation. A cynic might ask whether she is just buying a new car or something with all these press reports paying the bill

She obvoiusly has some depth of knowledge - its a shame she cannot either come out and state clearly what proof she has that sensible low carbing is dangerous or get out there and do some research itself

Dissing your peers work from across the pond is not professional}



Again, this was found on the low-carb news group...

[MHT]

The vegan culture is a major force in England. Furthermore, they have had a mad cow scare that has all but destroyed their cattle industry and their fight against genetically treated foods is a political catalyst.

In other words, this feeds nicely into the hands of the micro-managing liberals agenda of telling everyone else how they should lived based upon wacko elitest ideas of right and wrong. Linda McCartney's legacy--only eat organic vegetables and you, too, can be a worthy person.

[MHT]

I read that drinking red wine when you eat the meat (and there's only a couple of carbs in a glass) is the best way to combat the cholesterol problem that sometimes accompanies consumption of more meat. I assume it works that way--and what a way to go!

[MHT]

Fat is actually good for you. When people go on low-fat diets and return to eating fat, they often experience gall bladder problems so extreme that removal is required. Several people, even young teens, found that after being on Nutri-System and Jenny Craig that their gall bladders had "turned off" and they couldn't adjust to processing normal fat regimes again. Some sued and these low-fat systems were required to change their formats.

Ultimately, low-fat is more dangerous to the system than low carb.

[Eva]

Actually, most people report that their cholesterol count goes down on the Atkins diet because your body is burning the fat instead of storing it. The good Cholesterol goes up. But I like the idea of the red wine. I have a bottle of Yellowtail Shiraz in the cabinet, that I have been using for cooking. It's way too good to waste.

[MHT]

Beringer Shiraz 1996 is also exceptional.

[MHT]

Beringer 1996 Shiraz is also exceptional.

[BibChr]

Thanks.

Good heavens, you're going to be a wraith! I'm a tad younger (47), a tad shorter (6'1"), started a fair bit heavier, but you already are where I mean to end up.

And yes, I've taken and been glad of that advice. Some days I'm fine with bars-only for breakfast and lunch, and a medium dinner... some days I get home and have a plate of ham or turkey or something, THEN dinner. Either way, the weight keeps going, though not as fast as you started.

Again, I figure the thing isn't the speed, it's the progress.

Dan

[Eva]

I think that I will take some lamb chops out of the freezer and start marinating them for tomorrow night's dinner. I marinate them in red wine and Italian salad dressing. It is so easy and wonderful. Just don't over cook them.

[SamAdams76]

You know doc, I wish you were as cautious in DRUGS you guys PUSH. ALL the synthetic drugs you push damage the liver and kidneys yet you are SILENT on the long term effects you KNOW will happen.

Spot on. I'm beginning to wonder if doctors are getting commissions from the drug companies on the prescriptions they write. Last time I saw a doctor for anything, he spent all of 30 seconds talking to me, cut me off before I could get a word in edgewise and told me he was going to prescribe "painkillers" for me. He was then out the door and on his way to the next patient. That's the wonderful world of HMO care for you.

Well, I never got the prescription filled. I dealt with the pain and got the info I needed to diagnose and treat it myself. (Turned out to be a possible kidney stone and when I started drinking more water, the pain went away for good.) I've only taken one prescription in my life and that was antibiotics for a sinus infection back in 1994. I'd like to keep it that way. People are taking too many pills.

[workerbee]

Re #133 -- Amazing results, that's wonderful! I've actually heard of the type of "carb addiction" you talk about. They think it's a similar reaction that alcoholics have; that's why many who quit drinking make up for the booze with desserts and carb snacks. My dad was a functional alcoholic for years and finally quit after having a stroke -- but he substituted ice cream and potato chips!

Congratulations on your new baby. My girls are 21 months and 3 months, and I'm in serious need to lose the baby fat (plus the 20 lbs that I should've lost before they arrived, LOL). My husband could use it too, as his cholesterol and triglycerides are out there even with meds...

[dansangel]

I'm not knocking Atkins or those who have had success with that particular diet, I'm just pointing out that with motivation, you can lose just as much weight and be just as healthy, if not more so, doing it the 'old fashioned way.'

I'm with you. I am close to being vegetarian - I eat fish. I am also a carb freak. I could never give up bread and pasta.

I lost 30 lbs and went from a size 12 to a 6 on Weight Watchers. It's a plan I will stick with for life and it works. I can also eat carbs - *in moderation.*

I'm from Italian extraction - give up pasta? When you pry it from my cold, dead hands...LOL!

[dansangel]

The proof is going from a size 24W to a size 10.

Bravo....you ***ROCK***!

[dansangel]

See my post 177 - I absolutely agree. Congratulations!

[carlo3b]

I'm from Italian extraction - give up pasta? When you pry it from my cold, dead hands...LOL!

I love when you talk like that!!!! {{{{A PASTA HUG}}}}