Atkins Challenges Copycat Diet Claims

Friday May 21, 9:49 am ET

Atkins experts: 'Show us the science'; Cautions against turning America's health crisis into a fashion war

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NEW YORK, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- After three decades of fighting low-fat bias, Atkins, now supported by 27 scientific studies, and the low-carb consumer are facing a new set of obstacles: copycat diets that misrepresent Atkins in order to sell their diets as "unique." At the expense of consumer clarity and at odds with objective scientific findings, the Atkins Nutritional Approach(TM) has been misrepresented when compared with newer entrants into the low-carb field.

"A lot of derivative low-carbohydrate programs have sprung up over the last few years," says Dr. Stuart Trager, medical director of Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. "They are all trying to claim that they are the new and improved Atkins when, in truth and in fact, there is little, if any material difference between them and Atkins -- other than the Atkins Nutritional Approach(TM) has been scientifically proven to work. While Atkins is busy encouraging studies on how to promote better health, others are busy misrepresenting themselves and Atkins. The result is a lot of confusion and speculation as to how to do low-carb properly. We should be rooting the discussion in science to help battle the overweight and obesity epidemic."

"The South Beach Diet is a prime example of how copycats misrepresent the 'difference' between themselves and Atkins," says Dr. Trager. "The South Beach Diet has been positioned as a 'healthier' Atkins, conjuring up fashionable images of tropical beaches and trim bodies. However, factual comparisons between Atkins For Life and The South Beach Diet reveal few differences in the published menus. Independent analysis of the menus in both books reveals that there is no statistically significant variation between levels of healthy fats and healthy carbs between the Atkins and South Beach programs. And, yes," says Dr. Trager, "that includes the amount of saturated fat included in a typical week's menu for both programs. The suggestion that the South Beach program is a 'lower or healthier fat approach' when compared to Atkins is simply wrong."

"Figuratively speaking, The South Beach Diet correctly replicates the heart of the Atkins program," says Dr. Trager. "The balance relies on trend- driven pop culture. In fact, the part that does not originate with Atkins is the same low-fat conjecture that Atkins has been battling for decades, and that science of late has shown to be questionable. South Beach also tells people they don't have to count carbs. Well, virtually all of the peer reviewed, objective science shows us that when people DO count carbs, they enjoy the weight loss and health benefits of a low-carb Atkins lifestyle."

Another copycat fabrication is the idea that Atkins lumps all carbs together. "That is pure fiction" says Colette Heimowitz, M.Sc., vice president, Atkins Health and Medical Information Services. "Since Diet Revolution was published in 1972, Dr. Atkins made it clear that healthy fruits, vegetables, seeds/nuts and whole grains should be the source of a person's carbohydrates, and they should avoid the simple carbohydrates -- the flour and sugars -- that create spikes in blood sugar levels."

"The public needs a healthy approach to eating based on peer-reviewed science, not 'variations' named after stylish beaches like South Beach and The Hamptons," emphasizes Dr. Trager.

Dr. Trager sees the problem only getting worse as consumers get confused about the false "variations" among the low-carb diets. As a result, they may drop low-carb nutrition altogether in their true health battle which is the battle over obesity.

"New diets will spring up all the time, and yes, they will make small changes and create catchy terminology to make their program sound new and hip and 'evolutionary,'" he says. "But we cannot let what sounds good replace science, and we can't let fiction replace fact. Controlling carbohydrates is not about subtle differences in fat grams or exotic oils, it is about controlling carbohydrates, and when it comes to controlling carbohydrates, to date only Atkins is the time-tested and scientifically-validated time and again solution."

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Source: Atkins Health and Medical Information Services