Posted on Tue, Feb. 17, 2004

NEAL D. BARNARD, M.D.,

Public must know risks of high-fat Atkins diet

Re Atkins' own health placed on the scale, Feb. 11:

It should be known that the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine was hardly the first organization to make a public issue of Dr. Atkins' physical condition.

Rather, promoters of low-carb diets themselves initiated this discussion by contending that Atkins was thin and healthy into old age. They gave encouraging details of his seemingly miraculous medical examinations -- details that are now suspect since his widow, Veronica Atkins, revealed that her husband had coronary-artery disease.

A critical public-health issue is at stake. Many doctors and nutritionists remain deeply concerned that low-carb, high-fat diets are likely to contribute to heart disease, kidney disorders, certain cancers and other health problems. The concerns are based on decades of scientific studies showing that regular consumption of high-fat, high-cholesterol foods can wreak havoc on the body.

president, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington D.C.

Source: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiheral...ion/7969941.htm