From the Atkins website this evening:

Atkins Has Not Changed

"Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters,"
published in the January 18th edition of The New York Times--and the
subsequent publicity--is yet another dramatically inappropriate
example of the media reporting on the media and perpetuating a false
report on Atkins. This is a great disservice to the millions upon
millions of Atkins followers who have been benefiting from this
nutritional approach for more than 30 years. The accusation in the
media, which claims that Atkins is retreating from its long-held
position on the consumption of fat is simply wrong. It is a false
premise created by members of the media themselves, based on input
from "experts" who apparently have neither read any of Dr. Atkins'
books, nor even casually browsed this Web site.

Atkins has not changed. The basic tenets of the Atkins Nutritional
Approach™ (ANA), consistent since 1972, are to control the intake of
carbohydrates, avoid refined carbs (like sugar and white flour), eat
a balance of fats (including saturated fat but not trans fats) and
consume a variety of protein sources, such as red meat, fish,
poultry and tofu. Saturated fat remains a valuable part of the ANA.
There is absolutely no scientific research to support any claims
that eating red meat and saturated fat as part of your Atkins
program is anything other then beneficial. These protocols have been
consistently reinforced as safe, effective and beneficial and have
been further supported by 17 studies released over the last three
years.

Equally as important, and terribly troubling to all of us at Atkins,
is the attempt once again by critics of Atkins to ignore fact,
science and the clear messages stated in Dr. Atkins' own words over
the past 32 years, in order to sensationalize the ANA as the "all-
the-steak-you-can-eat" approach to weight loss and good health. This
has never been true and the millions of individuals doing Atkins,
along with the health care professionals who have read Dr. Atkins'
books, clearly understand this. We would urge anyone who is
confused, including the media to simply read Dr. Atkins' New Diet
Revolution, Atkins For Life or The Atkins Essentials, or review this
site, rather than interpret Atkins on the basis of sensational
reports manufactured on hearsay and mischaracterization.

Even in the original 1972 edition of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution,
Dr. Atkins explained, "fat allows for enormous variety in your diet;
that vital and best of all, it keeps you from feeling deprived. Of
course, you aren't confined to steak, you can have almost any kind
of meat, fish or fowl." He continued, "One of the biggest reasons
this diet works so successfully is because you eat protein and
fat…."

Dr. Atkins made no secret of the fact that his methodology evolved
over time as scientific discoveries added new and useful
information. He rewrote his original 1972 book three times, exactly
because he felt it was his responsibility to keep people up to date
when it came to the most recent and relevant information on
controlled carbohydrate nutrition and health. In the 2002 edition of
Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, he wrote, "Eat either three regular-
size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Eat liberally of
combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish,
shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well as of pure, natural fat in the
form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and
other vegetable oils. Adjust the quantity you eat to suit your
appetite, especially as it decreases. When hungry, eat the amount
that makes your feel satisfied but not stuffed…."

By providing individuals doing Atkins with a life-long strategy,
including exercise and meal plans (at various carb thresholds)
incorporating a wide range of foods, as explained in Atkins for
Life, Dr. Atkins believed he would finally put to rest the
misconception that his approach was based on eating only red meat.
His simple goal was that people would come to understand how to
incorporate his controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach as the
first step in gaining control of their nutritionally out-of-control
lives.

Millions of individuals who benefit from doing Atkins understand
that the ANA is a very effective four-phase approach to healthy
eating. The ANA focuses on moving people away from diets loaded with
refined carbohydrates like sugar and white flour to a lifestyle
centered around eating whole foods and nutrient-dense carbohydrates
like leafy greens, and finding a balance in the consumption of
proteins and fat.