The Popular Atkins Diet

The Atkins' Diet requires restricting carbohydrates in meals while eating a high percentage of protein and fat. Dr. Atkins believes that eating few carbohydrates along with healthy food choices promotes weight loss and good health. Individuals following the Atkins' Diet do not count calories. However, they must track their consumption of carbohydrates.

History

Dr. Atkins graduated from the University of Michigan and attained his medical degree from Cornell University Medical School in 1955 later specializing in cardiology. His experience with cardiac patients and their unsuccessful efforts to lose weight for heart health prompted him to write "Diet Revolution" in 1971. Since the first book release, Dr. Atkins has published over 15 diet, cook and lifestyle books and created a line of Atkins' food products. According to the Diet Channel, millions of people have tried the popular Atkins' Diet. The sale of Atkins' diet book has exceeded 21 million copies since 1971.

Features

The popular Atkins' Diet features four stages from induction, which has the most stringent restrictions on food choices, through weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. The diet emphasizes reducing or eliminating processed, high carbohydrate foods while increasing the consumption of proteins and fats. The restrictive induction phase lasts two weeks, restricting food choices to a maximum of 20g of carbohydrates daily. In phase two more vegetables become acceptable with a small increase in allowable carbohydrates per day. In phases three and four, a dieter may increase carbohydrate consumption, but only as long as he maintains lost weight.

Theory

The Atkins' diet works by reducing available carbohydrates and causing the body to burn fat for energy. When the liver burns fat instead of glucose from carbohydrates, it produces ketones--a condition called ketosis. Although severe ketosis may cause kidney and liver problems, Atkins' dieters monitor their ketone level using urine dip sticks. Careful monitoring along with gradual increases in carbohydrate consumption allow successful weight loss without damage to vital organs, according to Dr. Atkins. Experts hold conflicting opinions on the risks of raising ketone levels.

Benefits

The USDA acknowledged the benefit of the Atkins' diet for weight loss and raising HDL levels. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study in 2007 that researched premenopausal overweight and obese women. Lead author Christopher D. Gardener, PhD, reported that greater weight loss and more favorable metabolic effects were experienced in women following the Atkins' Diet than those using other tested low carbohydrate diets. The study concluded that diets such as Atkins were feasible alternatives to help lose weight.

Risks

Risks from a low carb diet include possible increases in heart disease and some types of cancer, according to MayoClinc.com. Lower intake of fiber may cause gastrointestinal problems and general weakness resulting from the breakdown of body fats on the Atkins' diet.