Atkins Diet - Diets Demystified

What: Created by cardiologist Dr Robert Atkins. He theorises that individuals can lose more weight eating a high-fat diet than with an equivalent energy intake from a high carbohydrate diet. Atkins advocates less than 20 grams of carbohydrate intake daily to maintain a state of ketosis, where the body burns its fat for fuel. As much as 50 per cent of daily calorie intake is contributed to fats,
unlike the national recommendation of less than 30 per cent total daily calories.

How safe is it for a person to be in a constant state of ketosis due to restricted carbohydrate intake?

Ketosis is a metabolic process where fat is burned as a source of energy when glucose is unavailable. Glucose is regarded as the preferred energy source for all body cells with ketosis as a crisis reaction linked with chronic starvation. In the long term, ketosis may result in malnutrition. Ketosis also puts a burden on the kidneys with the formation of ketones.

A low carbohydrate diet doesn’t mean low cholesterol or low fat. Is this good?

Low carbohydrate diets may be accompanied with rapid weight loss due to greater water loss. The rapid results may contribute to the popularity of such diets. But while this diet may promote short-term weight loss, the high fat content and potential hazards for heart disease override the benefits. Every one per cent change in blood cholesterol levels is estimated to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by two to three percent. According to a study by Anderson et al, (1), long term use of the Atkins diet could possibly increase one’s blood cholesterol level by about 25 per cent and CHD risk by about 50 per cent.

Who is unsuitable for the Atkins diet?

People with heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Those with increased risks for cardiac or kidney disease may be especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of high fat and animal protein
intake.