NYT Atkins Article Untrue - Per Atkins

I received the following update from Atkins Nutritionals regarding the
latest article in NYT:

http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/A...otChanged.html

If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:

Atkins Has Not Changed

"Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters," published
in the January 18th edition of The New York Times--and the subsequent
publicity--is yet another dramatically inappropriate example of the media
reporting on the media and perpetuating a false report on Atkins. This is a
great disservice to the millions upon millions of Atkins followers who have
been benefiting from this nutritional approach for more than 30 years. The
accusation in the media, which claims that Atkins is retreating from its
long-held position on the consumption of fat is simply wrong. It is a false
premise created by members of the media themselves, based on input from
"experts" who apparently have neither read any of Dr. Atkins' books, nor
even casually browsed this Web site.

Atkins has not changed. The basic tenets of the Atkins Nutritional ApproachT
(ANA), consistent since 1972, are to control the intake of carbohydrates,
avoid refined carbs (like sugar and white flour), eat a balance of fats
(including saturated fat but not trans fats) and consume a variety of
protein sources, such as red meat, fish, poultry and tofu. Saturated fat
remains a valuable part of the ANA. There is absolutely no scientific
research to support any claims that eating red meat and saturated fat as
part of your Atkins program is anything other then beneficial. These
protocols have been consistently reinforced as safe, effective and
beneficial and have been further supported by 17 studies released over the
last three years.

Equally as important, and terribly troubling to all of us at Atkins, is the
attempt once again by critics of Atkins to ignore fact, science and the
clear messages stated in Dr. Atkins' own words over the past 32 years, in
order to sensationalize the ANA as the "all-the-steak-you-can-eat" approach
to weight loss and good health. This has never been true and the millions of
individuals doing Atkins, along with the health care professionals who have
read Dr. Atkins' books, clearly understand this. We would urge anyone who is
confused, including the media to simply read Dr. Atkins' New Diet
Revolution, Atkins For Life or The Atkins Essentials, or review this site,
rather than interpret Atkins on the basis of sensational reports
manufactured on hearsay and mischaracterization.

Even in the original 1972 edition of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution, Dr. Atkins
explained, "fat allows for enormous variety in your diet; that vital and
best of all, it keeps you from feeling deprived. Of course, you aren't
confined to steak, you can have almost any kind of meat, fish or fowl." He
continued, "One of the biggest reasons this diet works so successfully is
because you eat protein and fat.."

Dr. Atkins made no secret of the fact that his methodology evolved over time
as scientific discoveries added new and useful information. He rewrote his
original 1972 book three times, exactly because he felt it was his
responsibility to keep people up to date when it came to the most recent and
relevant information on controlled carbohydrate nutrition and health. In the
2002 edition of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, he wrote, "Eat either three
regular-size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Eat liberally of
combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish,
eggs and red meat, as well as of pure, natural fat in the form of butter,
mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils. Adjust
the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases. When
hungry, eat the amount that makes your feel satisfied but not stuffed.."

By providing individuals doing Atkins with a life-long strategy, including
exercise and meal plans (at various carb thresholds) incorporating a wide
range of foods, as explained in Atkins for Life, Dr. Atkins believed he
would finally put to rest the misconception that his approach was based on
eating only red meat. His simple goal was that people would come to
understand how to incorporate his controlled carbohydrate nutritional
approach as the first step in gaining control of their nutritionally
out-of-control lives.

Millions of individuals who benefit from doing Atkins understand that the
ANA is a very effective four-phase approach to healthy eating. The ANA
focuses on moving people away from diets loaded with refined carbohydrates
like sugar and white flour to a lifestyle centered around eating whole foods
and nutrient-dense carbohydrates like leafy greens, and finding a balance in
the consumption of proteins and fat.

J Costello wrote:
:: http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/A...otChanged.html
::
:: If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:
::
:: Atkins Has Not Changed
::
:: "Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters,"

Refreshing.

J Costello wrote:
| I received the following update from Atkins Nutritionals regarding the
| latest article in NYT:
|
| http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/A...otChanged.html
|
| If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:
|
| Atkins Has Not Changed
|
----------------
This is exactly what I and a couple of others have been saying in another
thread about the original article that came out a couple of days ago. The
Atkins spokesperson was misquoted by the media, and they publicized exactly
the opposite of what she said. Atkins has not changed at all.

Thanks for posting this, J
|--
Peter
website: http://users.thelink.net/marengo

marengo wrote:
:: J Costello wrote:
::: I received the following update from Atkins Nutritionals regarding
::: the latest article in NYT:
:::
::: http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/A...otChanged.html
:::
::: If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:
:::
::: Atkins Has Not Changed
:::
:: ----------------
:: This is exactly what I and a couple of others have been saying in
:: another thread about the original article that came out a couple of
:: days ago. The Atkins spokesperson was misquoted by the media, and
:: they publicized exactly the opposite of what she said. Atkins has
:: not changed at all.
::
:: Thanks for posting this, J

What thread?

The problem is the damage has been done. I mean, people feel that Dr.
Atkins was wrong in letting us eat too much red meat and so on. The only
way the damage can be undone is if the media as a whole admits they are
wrong. Will that happen? NO!

Curt

"J Costello" wrote in message
...
I received the following update from Atkins Nutritionals regarding the
latest article in NYT:

http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/A...otChanged.html

If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:

Atkins Has Not Changed

"Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters," published
in the January 18th edition of The New York Times--and the subsequent
publicity--is yet another dramatically inappropriate example of the media
reporting on the media and perpetuating a false report on Atkins. This is
a
great disservice to the millions upon millions of Atkins followers who
have
been benefiting from this nutritional approach for more than 30 years. The
accusation in the media, which claims that Atkins is retreating from its
long-held position on the consumption of fat is simply wrong. It is a
false
premise created by members of the media themselves, based on input from
"experts" who apparently have neither read any of Dr. Atkins' books, nor
even casually browsed this Web site.

Atkins has not changed. The basic tenets of the Atkins Nutritional
ApproachT
(ANA), consistent since 1972, are to control the intake of carbohydrates,
avoid refined carbs (like sugar and white flour), eat a balance of fats
(including saturated fat but not trans fats) and consume a variety of
protein sources, such as red meat, fish, poultry and tofu. Saturated fat
remains a valuable part of the ANA. There is absolutely no scientific
research to support any claims that eating red meat and saturated fat as
part of your Atkins program is anything other then beneficial. These
protocols have been consistently reinforced as safe, effective and
beneficial and have been further supported by 17 studies released over the
last three years.

Equally as important, and terribly troubling to all of us at Atkins, is
the
attempt once again by critics of Atkins to ignore fact, science and the
clear messages stated in Dr. Atkins' own words over the past 32 years, in
order to sensationalize the ANA as the "all-the-steak-you-can-eat"
approach
to weight loss and good health. This has never been true and the millions
of
individuals doing Atkins, along with the health care professionals who
have
read Dr. Atkins' books, clearly understand this. We would urge anyone who
is
confused, including the media to simply read Dr. Atkins' New Diet
Revolution, Atkins For Life or The Atkins Essentials, or review this site,
rather than interpret Atkins on the basis of sensational reports
manufactured on hearsay and mischaracterization.

Even in the original 1972 edition of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution, Dr.
Atkins
explained, "fat allows for enormous variety in your diet; that vital and
best of all, it keeps you from feeling deprived. Of course, you aren't
confined to steak, you can have almost any kind of meat, fish or fowl." He
continued, "One of the biggest reasons this diet works so successfully is
because you eat protein and fat.."

Dr. Atkins made no secret of the fact that his methodology evolved over
time
as scientific discoveries added new and useful information. He rewrote his
original 1972 book three times, exactly because he felt it was his
responsibility to keep people up to date when it came to the most recent
and
relevant information on controlled carbohydrate nutrition and health. In
the
2002 edition of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, he wrote, "Eat either
three
regular-size meals a day or four to five smaller meals. Eat liberally of
combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish,
eggs and red meat, as well as of pure, natural fat in the form of butter,
mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils.
Adjust
the quantity you eat to suit your appetite, especially as it decreases.
When
hungry, eat the amount that makes your feel satisfied but not stuffed.."

By providing individuals doing Atkins with a life-long strategy, including
exercise and meal plans (at various carb thresholds) incorporating a wide
range of foods, as explained in Atkins for Life, Dr. Atkins believed he
would finally put to rest the misconception that his approach was based on
eating only red meat. His simple goal was that people would come to
understand how to incorporate his controlled carbohydrate nutritional
approach as the first step in gaining control of their nutritionally
out-of-control lives.

Millions of individuals who benefit from doing Atkins understand that the
ANA is a very effective four-phase approach to healthy eating. The ANA
focuses on moving people away from diets loaded with refined carbohydrates
like sugar and white flour to a lifestyle centered around eating whole
foods
and nutrient-dense carbohydrates like leafy greens, and finding a balance
in
the consumption of proteins and fat.

Roger Zoul wrote:
| marengo wrote:
||| J Costello wrote:
|||| Atkins Has Not Changed
||| ----------------
||| This is exactly what I and a couple of others have been saying in
||| another thread about the original article that came out a couple of
||| days ago

| What thread?

The thread subject is, "What's This? Atkins Revises the Diet!", thread
started on 1/18/2004 @ 1:08 a.m. by Witchy Way.
--
Peter
website: http://users.thelink.net/marengo

curt wrote:

The problem is the damage has been done. I mean, people feel that Dr.
Atkins was wrong in letting us eat too much red meat and so on. The only
way the damage can be undone is if the media as a whole admits they are
wrong. Will that happen? NO!

Let people believe what they want to believe. I've lost 30 pounds (206
to 176) on this WOL and have no intentions of changing. Ever. My
bloodwork is phenomenal. The only negative effect I've experienced is
some numbness in my hands, feet, and spots on my face. Not one of three
doctors is concerned about it, so I'm not either for now. One doctor
casually mentioned that there are reports of such numbness in people who
lose a lot of weight, that the numbness is benign, and that it is
temporary. I sure hope so.

Anyone who relies on the media for information deserves what they get.

On Mon, 19 Jan 2004 23:38:37 -0500, in a clarity of expression
resembling Cicero, "Roger Zoul" wrote:

J Costello wrote:
:: http://atkins.com/about/recentnews/A...otChanged.html
::
:: If you can't link to the above, the complete news is below:
::
:: Atkins Has Not Changed
::
:: "Make That Steak a Bit Smaller, Atkins Advises Today's Dieters,"

Refreshing.


FWIW, the Atkins response says it hasn't changed (which is what the NY
Times article says), and doesn't address the 20% of the calories from
saturated fat point. The Atkins response says "yet another
dramatically inappropriate example of the media reporting on the media
and perpetuating a false report on Atkins." I didn't get the
impression that the Times article was a case of the media talking
about itself -- I thought it was talking about Atkins.

As a press release, I thought this was poorly written. It has that
unclear self-referential thing "media reporting about the media" up
front, and doesn't address the central point of the Times article.

Frank Lynch
The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page is at:
http://www.samueljohnson.com/

On Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:52:20 GMT, Frank Lynch
wrote:

FWIW, the Atkins response says it hasn't changed (which is what the NY
Times article says), and doesn't address the 20% of the calories from
saturated fat point. The Atkins response says "yet another
dramatically inappropriate example of the media reporting on the media
and perpetuating a false report on Atkins." I didn't get the
impression that the Times article was a case of the media talking
about itself -- I thought it was talking about Atkins.

As a press release, I thought this was poorly written. It has that
unclear self-referential thing "media reporting about the media" up
front, and doesn't address the central point of the Times article.

I thought the same thing when I read it. I'm no fan of the NY Times,
but I think this was one case where they actually got it right. I
suspect the folks at AN were not prepared for the response they got
and that they are the ones now trying to blow some smoke.

Pat Paris wrote:

| I thought the same thing when I read it. I'm no fan of the NY Times,
| but I think this was one case where they actually got it right.

Pure unadulterated ignorannce.

The NY Times article was misquoting a completely different interview from
another source from an interview the day before. Exactly as the ANI said it
was the media talking about the media. Apparently for some reason either
you take pleasure in seeing Atkins bashed, or you really don't care about
the facts.
--
Peter
website: http://users.thelink.net/marengo