Atkins' critics surprised by recent study
By Debra Melani, Rocky Mountain News
September 9, 2003
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When Dr. Robert Atkins made his low-carbohydrate ideas known in the 1970s, his peers in the medical profession pounced. His diet of fat-laden foods, such as bacon and cheese, was a recipe for skyrocketing cholesterol levels and heart disease, they said.
But the cardiologist, who died last spring, stood firm. Today, his concept, which has attracted millions of followers, is under major scrutiny for the first time.
The initial findings of a study that included the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center surprised many of Atkins' staunch critics.
During the one-year pilot study, bad cholesterol levels in a group of Atkins dieters remained unchanged, good cholesterol went up and dangerous triglyceride levels dropped.
Still, most of her colleagues aren't ready to endorse low-carb diets, said Bonnie Jortberg, a registered dietitian with CU. Doctors expect a five-year study that's under way to provide a better picture and answer important questions, such as how much of the rapid weight loss that attracts so many low-carb dieters is water loss.
It's known that water loss occurs when carbohydrates are restricted; the answer is important because water-weight loss can be gained back rapidly, Jortberg said.