Posted by Bob Wright

Recent new evidence supported by the National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine says it works as well or better than other popular diets, including LEARN, Zone and Ornish.  But this study does not compare Atkins or any of the other diets to the total healthy lifestyle.  And it does not answer the question:  Is it healthy?

Let’s put some facts on the table.

Studies all agree that people lose weight on Atkins.  In the first six months, Atkins dieters lost up to 2 times the weight of folks on other diets.  But they regained more in the next six months than folks on other diets, too.

But how can a diet that is high in protein and help with weight loss even in the short term?

Here is how it works. First of all, a very low carbohydrate diet (and Atkins is almost carbohydrate free in the first phase) causes the dieter to lose a lot of fluid, as much as 8 – 10 lbs in a week. When you step on the scale you don’t know or maybe don’t care that it is water weight.

Secondly, in the absence of adequate carbohydrate intake, fat is not metabolized efficiently leading to a condition called ketosis. According to the American Dietetic Association, ketosis does suppress hunger and therefore contributes to a lower caloric intake. But ketosis can cause weakness, nausea, light headedness, and irritability. It puts strain on the kidneys and can make kidney disease worse.

Finally, after a while of eating all of the steak, sausage, bacon, etc, you want, even those foods get boring and you tend to eat less of them, further reducing your caloric intake. The bottom line is that after the initial water loss, people lose weight on the Atkins diet because they reduce their calorie intake.
 
Is it sustainable?  and healthy?

All of the really important questions have to do with whether Atkins and low carb diets are sustainable.  Can you lose weight, keep it off, AND maintain your health?

First of all, most people do not maintain their weight loss on an Atkins diet.  In part this is due to the fact that diets in general do not lead to long term weight loss because you are not adopting sound nutritional habits as part of a healthy lifestyle—you are “dieting” as a change of pace until you can resume your old habits.

Long term, many experts think that the Atkins approach may be unhealthy.  By eliminating many types of foods, you are restricting the intake of trace elements, vitamins, and food components (like fiber) that contribute to overall health.  We know that high saturated fat is associated with serious chronic diseases like heart conditions and diabetes (and probably Alzheimer’s disease), so our limited long term experience with Atkins type diets should signal caution.

American Diabetes Association recommends healthy lifestyle

The ADA and other nutritional experts recommend individualized, balanced, reduced calorie nutritional plans.  They recognize the appeal of Atkins, but they also recognize the disease conditions associated with the high fat diet.  In particular, high protein diets like Atkins may be associated with kidney disease since increased loss of kidney function has been associated with levels of animal protein lower than those found with the Atkins diet.  And according to Dr. Eric Rimm of the Harvard School of Public Health, in the very long term, 5 or 10 years, there is a plausible connection between large increases in red meat consumption and cancer.

Other health experts agree to exercise caution about Atkins.  The American College of Preventive Medicine does not endorse the Atkins diet.  They note that Atkins can lower weight and cholesterol  “…as do all fad diets.”  But they also note that cancer and AIDS also lower weight and cholesterol, and no one would argue that those diseases are good for you.


H3I Does NOT Recommend Atkins

The Hilton Head Health Institute does not recommend Atkins or other high protein, low carbohydrate diets.  We do recommend greatly reducing or eliminating refined carbohydrates that can drive spikes in blood sugar as well as calories.  But a balanced, reduced-calorie nutritional plan that you can sustain in conjunction with the healthy lifestyle habits of exercise and mindfulness, will lead to much better outcomes in the long term. The basics remain:  varied high quality foods in controlled portion amounts offer you the best chances for success in sustained weight loss as well as a long, healthy life.