Atkins diet

The Atkins Nutritional Approach, popularly known as the Atkins Diet or just Atkins, is a high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet popularized by Dr. Robert Atkins in a series of books, starting with Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution.

Atkins restricts the intake of carbohydrates in order to switch the body metabolism from using glucose as the fuel to burning fat (both dietary and stored fat). This process of lipolysis begins when the body enters the state of ketosis as a consequence of running out of carbohydrates to burn. On Atkins, carbohydrate intake is limited to 20-60 grams a day, meaning that protein and fat will, by necessity, form the bulk of the diet. Dr. Atkins argues that many eating disorders are the result of hyperinsulinism, or excessive secretion insulin, which, according to Atkins, causes food cravings and unstable blood sugar levels. Atkins claims that his diet stabilizes insulin and blood sugar levels, eliminating cravings and ofter reducing appetite.

A research study carried out by the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania, reported in May 2003 that the Atkins diet raised levels of HDL (or "good") cholesterol by an average of 11% and slashed the amount of triglycerides in the bloodstream by 17%. In the study, conventional dieters' HDL cholesterol raised by only 1.6% while their triglyceride levels did not improve significantly. Weight loss was also statistically greater in the Atkins dieters after three and six months compared with the conventional dieters (although this did not remain statistically significant after a year). The study followed the diets of 63 obese men and women. (See New Scientist, May 21 2003)

Critical Views

Low-carbohydrate diets have been the subject of heated debate in medical circles for three decades. [1] The Atkins diet has generally been considered by most medical and nutritional experts to be unsound, even bogus, so much so that until recently no serious research has been done on it or other low carbohydrate diets. However a few small research projects, as well as a great deal of anecdotal evidence, have shown such diets to help participants lose weight. Two large-scale studies are planned, one funded by Atkins's nonprofit foundation.

Dr. Robert Eckel of the American Heart Association says that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets put people at risk for heart disease. [2]

Reference

• New England Journal of Medicine: (vol 348, p 2082)

See: Diet, Dieting, List of diets, Quackery

Links

• FAQs of the Atkins Center
• New York Times Magazine article What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?