"Weighing in" about the Atikins diet
Eric Clark
News Editor
For many looking to fit into an old pair of jeans, or those who want to trim a few layers off that unwanted beer belly, the Atkins diet has become one of the most popular crazes to hit weight-loss circles in years.
The high-protein diet developed by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, who died recently from complications after being injured in an accident, has been endorsed by some members of the medical community after Duke University concluded a study that found that those on the diet lost more weight than people on a low fat diet.
Preferred Medical Associates physician Randall Claassen concurred with the university's findings and is endorsing the Atkins diet on a regular basis.
"The funny thing about the Atkins diet is about 11 or 12 years ago the medical community was strongly opposed to the diet," Claassen said. "People were saying it would cause renal failure or kidney failure. The fact is, if you cut your total carbohydrate intake, you're going to lose weight."
The Atkins diet encourages dieters to eat items such as meat, cheese, eggs, bacon, and fats (like butter and oils), and avoid eating foods high in carbohydrates.
The Duke University study also concluded that the Atkins diet also lowered cholesterol and dieters had an 11 percent increase in HDL, the good cholesterol, and a 49 percent drop in triglycerides.
"I've never seen a problem with (the Atkins diet)," Claassen said. "(I've seen this diet) more, and more, and more among people on diets. About 90 percent of the people that I know who are on diets are on Atkins. I think they're shocked that I'm for it, and the people using this diet are coming out of the woodwork."
One of those dieters was Hillsboro resident and Hillsboro State Bank president Carl Long. Long, who lost 35 pounds on the diet, said he decided to try the diet after his doctor became concerned about his glucose and triglycerides levels.
"I had a physical examination in May of 2002, and my doctor found that my glucose was high and that my triglycerides were high," Long said. "My doctor told me if I didn't get that under control, I'd likely become diabetic. That led me to the Atkins diet. I researched it on the Internet and bought his book, and since then I've been on it."
Long said that from May 2002 to Sept. 02 he dropped his triglycerides from an astounding 605 to 82.
"I still stay on it," Long said. "I'm kind of on maintenance mode. I'm a firm believer in it. It really works for weight loss and for health reasons. I'd recommend it to anybody."
Dieters like Long have said they feel better mentally and physically while doing the diet. But the positive effects of the Atkins diet haven't surprised Classen.
"This diet was here 40 years ago in a different form," Classen said. "If you avoid foods high in carbohydrates and your total carbohydrate intake is less, you're probably going to lose weight. Weight loss is about calculus, not about subtraction."
