021127 Doctors Speak Out Against the Atkins DietNovember 20, 2002Washington - Neal Barnard, MD, nutrition researcher and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), released this statement following news reports about the Atkins Diet: "It's time for a reality check on the Atkins Diet. Despite the current 'carbophobia' among some people struggling with weight problems, high-protein, low-carb diets remain a serious health risk. "The huge load of animal protein ingested in such diets leaches calcium from the bones and sends it through the kidneys, into the urine. A recent report in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases showed that people on the Atkins Diet lose calcium at rates 55% above normal. Over the long run, that can spell osteoporosis. "Even worse, Harvard researchers showed that this sort of meaty dietary pattern is linked to a three-fold increased risk of colon cancer. Other potential dangers include cardiovascular problems and renal disease. "What about weight loss? Controlled studies show that the Atkins approach works at about the same speed as any other weight-loss diet: about one pound of lost weight per week. That is the same rate seen with old-fashioned low- calorie diets or with far-healthier low-fat, vegan diets. "The truth is that the skinniest people on the planet -- Asians and vegetarians -- eat plenty of rice and other carbs. What makes Americans fat is not their occasional servings of rice or potatoes, but rather their penchant for cheese, meat, and fried foods."
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