Thats really helpful, thank you.

Its probably helpful if I clarify my dissertation subject a bit - the actual Atkins diet is basically a test case for my dissertation which is on the way that knowledge presents itself in society. The atkins diet is a good example of a phenomenon that seemed irrational in the past but now has spread quickly among a vast number of people and is developing itself globally. (I am not disputing that it works!)

(There are alot of other things invented that work better than our contemporary alternatives ie the QWERTY Vs the Dvorak keyboard so the fact it just 'works better' is not necessarily a sufficient explanation for its success...)

From the thread that I started in the Atkins forum the suggestion that Atkins is a 'natural' (ie cave man) way of eating seems quite important in confirming dieters decision to take up the plan, would you agree with this?

Thanks

Katie