DID YOU KNOW...
Dr. Robert Atkins, guru of the protein-rich Atkins diet, was technically obese when he died. According to his death certificate, he was 6 feet tall and 258 pounds at the time of his death. Dr. Atkins fell into a coma and died after he suffered a head injury from a fall outside his New York clinic.
His widow and other proponents of the Atkins diet claim that he weighed 195 pounds upon entering the hospital, but due to fluid retention during his coma, he gained the additional weight while in the hospital. They supported their claim with hospital records that they turned over to USA Today, indicating that Atkins did indeed weigh 195 pounds upon admission.
In April 2002, Dr. Atkins suffered a heart attack. Atkins claimed that the cardiac arrest was due to a heart infection he had suffered from for a few years and that it was unrelated to his diet.
Read more about Atkins' death.
Urban Legends:Death of a Diet Doctor (Snopes)
Detroit News Health
His widow and other proponents of the Atkins diet claim that he weighed 195 pounds upon entering the hospital, but due to fluid retention during his coma, he gained the additional weight while in the hospital. They supported their claim with hospital records that they turned over to USA Today, indicating that Atkins did indeed weigh 195 pounds upon admission.
In April 2002, Dr. Atkins suffered a heart attack. Atkins claimed that the cardiac arrest was due to a heart infection he had suffered from for a few years and that it was unrelated to his diet.
What Does Research Show?There has not been a definitive long-term study on the health effects of the Atkins diet. I've had friends drop weight dramatically, but some of them have had their bad cholesterol go up, even though their overall cholesterol came down. Others have complained about fatigue.
A recent study found that an Atkins diet improved cholesterol and triglycerides and was better at achieving weight loss at six months than a conventional low-fat diet. The study went on to show, however, that at one year, the benefits of the Atkins diet had dissipated, and the diet was no more effective than a conventional low-fat diet for weight loss. Also, this study did not address some important health risks associated with the diet.
Keep in mind that the healthiest weight-loss goals are for the long term (generally defined as one year or longer). While just about any calorie-restrictive diet can work to quickly get you into a smaller size, long-term weight loss is rarely achieved this way. And there still hasn’t been a study demonstrating that low carbohydrate/high protein diets are more effective than a low-calorie diet for long-term weight loss.
Read more about Atkins' death.
Urban Legends:Death of a Diet Doctor (Snopes)
Detroit News Health
posted by Rene at
11:42 PM
