Australian Medical Assn. Warning on Atkins and Reply
 

Warning on Atkins diet
By Rosemary Desmond
March 15, 2004 - 1:45PM

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has thrown its weight behind a campaign warning people of the dangers of the low-carbohydrate, high-fat Atkins Diet.

AMA federal president Dr Bill Glasson said other states should follow the lead of Victoria in alerting people about the potential harm the diet could cause.

"We'll be supporting the move by Victoria and the other states who feel the evidence we have about the diet cannot be substantiated," Dr Glasson said today.

"It's important we do get information out through our general practices, and our GPs, as well as through general public education and public health units around the states."

The Victorian government will today unveil a taxpayer funded campaign aimed at convincing people to give up the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet and other 'fad diets'.

The Victorian state government planned to to give out posters and information booklets at gyms, doctors' waiting rooms and universities.

New York doctor Robert Atkins pioneered his controversial diet more than 30 years ago.

He died last April, aged 72, after slipping and falling on ice as he walked to work.

Dr Atkins was obese, weighing 117kg and suffering a history of heart attacks, congestive heart failure and hypertension.

His widow Veronica Atkins was reportedly seeking legal action, including suing the City of New York, over the release of medical records.

The Atkins Physicians Council in New York, said Atkins' medical records showed his heart problems were related to cardiomyopathy, probably due to a virus.

Queensland AMA president Dr David Molloy said he did not recommend the old Atkins Diet in its purest form, but a low-starch diet with a good mixture of polyunsaturated fats was a healthy choice for weight loss and long-term weight management.

Dr Molloy said the Queensland government would be better off spending taxpayers' funds on other health needs than on issuing warnings against the old Atkins Diet.

"As far as public health campaigns are concerned, I'd prefer to see the money spent on more urgent needs such as aged care beds or rehabilitation services or fluoridation."

Atkins bosses defend methods
Fay Burstin
16mar04

THE Atkins empire yesterday reacted angrily to a state plan to discourage Victorians from using its diet, accusing Health Minister Bronwyn Pike of failing to do her homework.

Atkins Physicians Council chairman Dr Stuart Trager, speaking from New York, told the Herald Sun he was surprised and disappointed with the Government's campaign to discredit the popular low-carbohydrate diet.

"There have been some impulsive reactions . . . and I think we've lost track of the enemy," he said.

"It's important to remember that the enemy is obesity, not low-carbohydrate nutrition."

The Herald Sun yesterday revealed the Victorian Government's plan for a taxpayer-funded campaign, including distributing posters and information booklets to doctors waiting rooms, gyms and universities, to persuade overweight people to quit the controversial Atkins diet.

Ms Pike said she believed health risks associated with the low-carb, high-protein and high-fat diet included heart disease, cancer, depression and osteoporosis.

The late Dr Robert Atkins's book sold more than 100,000 copies in Australia last year, and up to 200,000 Victorians are estimated to have embraced low-carb eating plans in their battle with the bulge.

Dr Trager denied Atkins's weight-loss plan was a "fad diet" or unhealthy, and said 19 independent studies in the past three years found the diet to be safe and effective.

"As knowledge improves and misconceptions are cleared up, I'm confident the community will react in Australia as it has in the US, where millions of people now use a carbohydrate-controlled diet to win the battle against obesity," he said.

Dr Trager said this was the first time in the diet's 32-year history that a government had launched a public health campaign against it.

"US Federal Government officials had a much more positive response and I hope that when they (the Victorian Government) dig deeper they will reconsider their campaign," he said.

Australian Medical Association federal president Dr Bill Glasson backed the Government's move yesterday and urged other states to follow Victoria's lead.

Atkins Nutritional Inc hired Melbourne public relations company Wrights yesterday to handle the controversy.

Steven Hines, whose GNC Livewell health food stores sell Atkins's products, said the outraged diet company called an emergency meeting with Ms Pike yesterday.

"Not one Australian has died from following Atkins, but 8000 Australians die every year from weight problems," he said.

Ms Pike's spokesman, Ben Hart, said input from the Atkins company was welcome, but research from the CSIRO, the Australian Heart Foundation and other respected health organisations was relied upon to show the dangers of a low-carb diet.

I have to wonder if there isn't something behind the Australian Authorities aversion to Atkins. They wouldn't make all this fuss if there weren't some interests threatened by this.

State Government in Australia Campaigns Against Low Carb Diets
 

This is the first time I have seen a government take a stance against a diet program. Victoria, home to the city of Melbourne, is starting a taxpayer funded program to ward the public off low carb diets such as Atkins.

They are being backed by the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

Quote from the Victorian Minister for Health, Bronwyn Pike:

"Well around 32 million people in the United States are estimated to be now attracted to the low carbohydrate diets and the Atkins diet of course is the worst manifestation of these and there's increasing evidence that there can be long term detrimental effects to one's health."

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2...9199143293.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004...9199143821.html
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/co...04/s1066361.htm

As I sit here dipping my cheese in mayo...

I heard something about the Canadian government planning to do something similar. (I'm munching cheese)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I have visions of myself in a black trench coat, hat, gloves (to hide fingerprints) and shades sneaking into my local supermarket and glancing around furtively while purchasing meat with fat on it, eggs, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, berries and low glycemic fruits.

Again I say, NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

What is this "increasing evidence" and how come we haven't seen it here.

OMG! They'd better not touch that wonderful canadian cheddar I love! /giggle

The meat police are coming! The meat police are coming!

Hmmmm... Increasing evidence...
Maybe I'm so sickened of ketosis I overlooked the evidence...???

Hmmm...buy meat on mondays - under the cover of darkness, cheese on tuesdays -with some celery to ward off suspicion, and eggs on wednesday and hope not to get caught by the diet police!! How ridiculous for a government to get involved in a person's lifestyle choices!.

I've yet to see them give scientific proof or evidence. Heck - supply the research papers this public health warning is based on ?

I've also search through the victorian governments health website and can't find anything!

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/

I wonder what their problem is? I live here in Melbourne - they better not be spending my tax money on bulldust!

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/co...04/s1066361.htm

Sorry, but this article is really annoying me!



Hmm Atkins and Ice Cream - I don't think so. I certainly ate all three on weight watchers though!



Hmmm - Like the consequences of yo-yoing on low fat diets - now there is actual evidence as to the impact on peoples weight and mental health as to that!



Well that proves that the diet doesnt work (sic)! We all know the truth that Dr Atkins had fluid retension due to his coma and heart condition!
Average lifespan of an american male is 76, Dr Atkins died aged 71 - not too bad of an innings (for someone according to the article on a bad diet!)

But I guess all those heart attack victims that died early on the average diet or low fat diet - well they prove ?? what ?? that the average diet is worse ? My Great Grandfather died aged 55, his father aged 51 - I guess the diet they were on (Pre-Atkins) was deadly ?


Bloody idiots!

I agree! I don't want my tax money being spent on an anti-Atkins campaign. The media is having a lot of fun with it though. I even heard a speaker on the radio the other day suggest that there should be a tax on fat to stop people eating so much of it! I just hope that one day these "nutritionists" open their minds and do the research.

Melberry
:)