NEW YORK, Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent news coverage concerning a report in the Southern Medical Journal of a 16-year-old girl who suddenly collapsed and died is erroneous. Despite the lack of a clear cause of death, the attending physicians suggest the possibility that the girl may have died as a
result of having spent one or two weeks on some kind of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. They make this suggestion based on certain chemical imbalances noted in the girl after death, along with suggestions made by her family and friends.

The physicians themselves note the possibility that these chemical imbalances could have resulted from a number of factors including bulimia, anorexia and diuretic or laxative abuse. The case study even goes so far as to conclude, " ... it is possible that the patient's dietary regime had nothing to do with her sudden cardiovascular collapse ... ". Furthermore, the resuscitative drugs used in an attempt to save this girl's life are also known to cause the chemical imbalances noted during her post mortem.

This unfortunate association between a young girl's tragic death and some kind of low-carbohydrate diet is also based on a number of erroneous and scientifically unfounded misconceptions on the part of the attending physicians. These include concerns about ketosis, and elevated levels of serum triglycerides and LDL (often referred to as bad cholesterol).

It is also essential that important scientific studies be well understood. In fact, a recent study out of the University of Connecticut demonstrated that ketosis is not only healthful but actually may be beneficial to heart health.(1) Other recent studies out of the University of Cincinnati(2), the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Duke University(3), the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center(4) and the University of Pennsylvania(5) have consistently shown that the Atkins Nutritional Approach (ANA(TM)) fosters consistent improvement in risk factors associated with heart disease. Triglycerides are lowered and HDL (good cholesterol) is elevated,
significantly improving the critical LDL/HDL ratio that is one of the key risk factors associated with heart disease. One of these studies (University of Cincinnati) was funded by the American Heart Association. Two of these studies (Philadelphia VA and University of Pennsylvania) were funded by the government. No studies on the ANA(TM) exist showing anything to the contrary.

And while all of these studies were conducted on adults, Marc S. Jacobson, M.D., Center for Atherosclerosis Prevention, Schneider Children's Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics and Social Medicine and Epidemiology, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System(6), who has been studying and reporting for the past few years on the role and use of the ANA(TM) in adolescents confirms that his work is consistent with the positive results thus far demonstrated by his peers. His own study specifically focused on the fact that low-carbohydrate dieting increases weight loss but not cardiovascular risk in obese adolescents.

Atkins has been widely misrepresented over the past years, however the millions of Americans who have been and are now enjoying the health benefits of the Atkins Nutritional Approach(TM) are done a grave disservice by reports of this kind. There are no scientific studies on the ANA(TM) that would or should have led these physicians to suggest that a low-carbohydrate diet was in any way responsible for this terrible event.

References

(1) Volek JS et al.: A Ketogenic Diet Favorably Affects Serum Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Disease in Normal-Weight Men. Journal of Nutrition, July 2002.
(2) Brehm, BJ et al.: Effects of a Low Carbohydrate Diet on Body Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors, University of Cincinnati, Abstract presented at 85th Annual Meeting of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
(3) Westman, E, et. al.: Effect of 6-Month Adherence to a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet Program. American Journal Medicine, July 2002.
(4) Stern, L et al.: A Pilot Study Comparing a Low Carbohydrate and Low Fat Diet on Weight and Glycemic Control in Obese Diabetics. The Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Abstract presented at 62nd Scientific Sessions of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
(5) Foster, GD: Evaluation of the Atkins Diet a Randomized Controlled Trial, University of Pennsylvania. Publication pending.
(6) Sondike S et al.: The ketogenic diet increases weight loss but not cardiovascular risk: A randomized controlled trial. J Adol Health, 26: 91, 2000

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