The Atkins diet: fad or fact?

There's no denying a quantum shift in eating attitudes and behaviour. Diet books now out-sell cookbooks and 60 per cent of these advocate low carbohydrate intake.

Complementary research indicates that 26 per cent of dieting women are practicing some form of low-carb/high-protein regime. And 69 per cent of another Australian sample felt that the Atkins diet carried health risks. Time magazine claims,"The low-carb frenzy is re-shaping the food industry - and our bodies." In an effort to clarify the confusion, Gawen Rudder invited Club nutritionists to share their views and help sort fact from fad. Unsurprisingly, none of these endorse the Atkins regime:

Catherine Saxelby reminds those who are dieting (and some 60 per cent of Australian adults are now overweight or obese) of the benefit of more protein. Protein induces a feeling of satiety, or fullness, and presents a small 'glucose load' so does not demand a lot of insulin. It may preserve muscle mass, which is metabolically active and therefore burns more fat (although this has not yet been proved). Protein may also reduce cravings for sweet foods (again, only anecdotal and needs testing). She adds, "In contrast, the popular carbohydrates - such as white bread and rice, potato chips and fries - are not the 'ideal carbohydrates'. They are refined, easy to over-consume and have a high Glycemic Index (GI).This means they are quick to eat yet don't satisfy, so a few hours later, we're looking for a (not-so-healthy) snack. "Atkins will never be approved, but a middle course with small serves of better carbs (legumes, grain breads, pasta, brown rice) and more protein definitely
looks promising."

According to Rosemary Stanton, "The media response to the Atkins Diet has been out of proportion and fuelled by publicists. There have only been a couple of small studies, with mediocre results (6kg loss in 6 months) and no benefits in the only 12-month study. When this diet 'works', it's because extensive restrictions result in followers cutting kilojoules. "Effective diets should be permanent and safe. Most people who lost weight with the Atkins Diet in the 1970s regained it all. Many large, long-term studies also show that a diet low in fibre (especially from grains) increases the risk of future bowel cancer."

Rounding out comment from our respected nutritionists, Jane Barnes said, "Realistically, there is no magic metabolic food 'cure' for accumulating fat. The Atkins regime, like other regimes, promises success by eliminating a particular nutrient or decreeing a limiting eating pattern. The result is that it relies on lifestyle limitation, not long-term lifestyle modification. "Furthermore, Atkins has a wider negative implication, namely that it promotes consumption of gross amounts of protein. The ecological cost in world terms of this high protein requirement per person is unsustainable. So whatever the short-term fat losses sustained by individuals, I cannot condone this as long-term behaviour."

Although most marketers have their own agendas, Kelly Drew of Fleishman-Hilliard Stratcom kindly asked two of her clients, both FMCA members, for comments. Veronique Droulez, Manager, Human Nutrition R&D Program at Meat & Livestock Australia, said, "It is well established that to successfully lose weight, one needs to eat less kilojoules and expend more energy. There is increasing evidence that the higher protein, low-fat, moderate-carbohydrate (mainly low GI) approach, which forms the basis of the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, facilitates weight loss to a greater extent than the conventional low-fat, high-carbohydrate weight-loss diet." Like Catherine Saxelby, she refers to the high satiety of protein. (The MLA is funding further research to help practitioners understand how best to match dietary advice to the individual and achieve that elusive long-term success in weight management.)

Finally, Chris Rowley of the Australian Fruit & Vegetables Coalition:"There is growing and consistent evidence that, as well as contributing to good nutrition and general health, increasing our consumption levels to five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit a day protects against a number of debilitating conditions and chronic diseases, including obesity. "While the evidence is strongest for cancer and circulatory diseases (coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke), there is also growing evidence for the protective effects of increased fruit and vegetable intake for a range of other diseases and conditions."

Issues such as obesity and diet are very much part of the contemporary food landscape. We invite members to contribute their thoughts as to whether consumers have been captured by fads and quick fix, as against common sense and balance.

What is the Atkins diet? The 'Atkin's Diet' is a book which recommends a low carbohydrate diet.

THEORIES AND FACTS
The diet has many critics, not just because of its calorie-related claims, but because it is high in fat and low in nutritious foods such as fruit and whole grains. There is also limited research about how healthy it is in the longer term. Controversially, it claims that weight loss is not simply due to reducing your calorie intake. Instead it is said to be down to improved 'metabolic resistance'. The theory is that diets high in carbohydrate rapidly increase the body's production of insulin, and insulin invites body cells to store fat. So by restricting carbohydrate you avoid high insulin levels and lose weight. In addition, the diet makes the body produce ketones, which is said to be "a sign that the body is burning its fat stores . . . and suppressing appetite".

The dieters must first follow a 14-day Induction phase with a limit of 20g of carbohydrate each day (a banana contains 22g), and basically consists of meat, chicken, fish, eggs or cheese with some green and salad vegetables, butter and oil. All carbohydrate-containing foods such as fruit, many vegetables, bread, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, biscuits, sugar and so on must be avoided, as must milk and yogurt. Weight loss can be very rapid in this phase, and a lot of this seems to come from fluid loss.

Next is the Ongoing Weight Loss Phase. First you decide on an ideal weight target. The diet is similar to the Induction phase, but with slightly more carbohydrate - about 40g a day on average - to enable ongoing weight loss of 1/2 to 1 kilogram a week. In food terms, this basically means adding some berries or melon, some more vegetables, nuts and the occasional crisp-bread. Drinks should be sugar-free, and alcohol is given no real mention but is ideally avoided. Vitamin and mineral supplements are advised on the diet. Once the dieters reach their goal weight they are advised to slightly increase their carbohydrate intake until their weight stabilises, but it should not go over 90g a day (a balanced diet has on average around 250g a day).

Some advice is given on eating out, doing more exercise, coping with lapses and weight regain, and low-carb shopping and cooking. Recipes and carbohydrate lists are included. There is also information about other health benefits of the diet. However, note that losing weight by any means can improve health problems; for example, high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Atkins Website: http://atkinscenter.com/