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Leticia Pickering

English 118

Dr. Nathaniel Preston

3 December 2006

Low Carb Dieting: The Perfect Solution?

The United States is a country built on innovation. Our history is filled with men

and women who devoted their lives to making everyday tasks faster and easier. Some

tasks that are constantly being reinvented are those of health, fitness, and, most

importantly, weight loss. The United States, considered by many to be the homeland of

fad diets, has seen thousands of quick weight loss programs in the past: the tuna diet, the

grapefruit diet, the salmon diet, the low fat diet, and the low sugar diet, just to name a

few. While each of these programs enjoyed a brief period of popularity, none have

rivaled the cult status of the Atkins Diet.

Dr. Robert Atkins introduced his first version of the highly controversial diet in

1972. Although the diet has undergone several changes over the past thirty four years,

the basic concept has remained the same: a high protein, low carbohydrate diet that

produces rapid weight loss. The controversy does not lie in the statement that this diet

produces rapid weight loss, but rather in the claim that the Atkins’ Diet is a healthy, long

term lifestyle. The complex framework of the diet hides the unhealthy side effects that

can occur.

The Atkins Diet is divided into four stages: induction, on-going weight loss, pre-

maintenance, and lifetime maintenance (SirGan Paragraph 6). Before these stages can be

understood, it is important to first know and understand the process of ketosis. Ketosis is
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caused by a low intake of carbohydrates and is thought to be a major contributor to the

weight lost in the Atkins diet. As carbohydrate intake decreases, fat stores are used for

energy sources. Ketone bodies are then produced by the liver and excreted in the urine. A

heightened level of ketone bodies in the blood is attributed to suppressed appetite which

may further contribute to weight loss (Steer 44).

The purpose of the induction stage, the most restrictive phase of the diet, is to

restrict the carbohydrate intake enough to achieve ketosis. “Carb intake is restricted to 20

grams per day” and this continues for approximately two weeks (SirGan paragraph 7).

Once this has been achieved, the program progresses to the on-going weight loss stage.

During this stage, carbohydrate intake is increased to slightly more realistic level, but is

maintained at a level where weight loss can still be achieved. This stage often persists for

weeks, until a person reaches a body weight within approximately 4.5 kilograms of the

target weight, at which time the program moves to the pre-maintenance stage (SirGan

paragraph 8).

The purpose of the pre-maintenance stage is to gradually increase carbohydrate

intake, in search of the critical carbohydrate level “which represents the maximum

number of carbohydrates a person can eat each day without gaining weight” (SirGan

paragraph 9). After achieving this level, the program proceeds to the final stage of the

diet: lifetime maintenance. This stage focuses on utilizing the critical carbohydrate level

as a means of keeping off the weight that has been lost, and avoiding the “unhealthy”

practices that lead to weight gain. On paper, the diet seems to be innovative and rooted in

scientific research, but still the question remains: is it too good to be true? The answer is

yes.
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If a high intake of carbohydrates was the only cause of weight gain and obesity,

the Atkins Diet would provide a perfect solution to the problem. However, the truth is

that a healthy lifestyle is composed of more than just a controlled carbohydrate intake. A

healthy lifestyle includes a balance of exercise and nutrition. A knowledge of the

fundamental concept of nutrition is essential in achieving such a lifestyle. Nutrition can

be broken up into five main categories: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and vitamins

and minerals. The Atkins Diet violates basic human needs in all five of these categories.

The major issue addressed in the program is that of carbohydrates. The Atkins

Diet greatly restricts carbohydrate intake while this does produce remarkably rapid

weight loss, the reason has little to do with the restriction of carbohydrates. Rather, it can

be attributed to the dramatic reduction in calories associated with the reduction of

“calorie dense items like cakes, biscuits and bakery confections” (Steer 44). A study

conducted on the effectiveness of low carbohydrate diets confirmed this data. In a

comparison of low carbohydrate diets, Atkins and the Zone Diet for example, with low

calorie diets, such as Weight Watchers and Ornish Diets, the results revealed a great

difference in carbohydrate intake, but an insignificant difference in weight reduction.

Instead, “weight loss tended to be associated with dietary adherence rather than diet type”

(Wolever 133). Ketosis, as discussed previously, can also be linked to weight loss. If

prolonged, ketosis has been known to cause irreversible damage to the liver. Fortunately,

the occurrence of ketosis is low, as most low carb dieters do not maintain the diet for

long, and revert to the “natural tendency of people to regain the weight that they have

lost” (Wolever 134). Unfortunately, the side effects do not end here.
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Protein is an essential element in a healthy diet, and a proper balance is vital to

the body. There is no deficiency of protein in the Atkins Diet, but rather a gross over

abundance. There are several serious effects of consuming high levels of protein over a

long period of time. High levels of protein have been linked to excess calcium loss, and

are thought to be factors for osteoporosis (Manore 210). Another major consequence of

high protein intake is kidney disease. Additionally, high protein intake is linked to high

cholesterol levels. This is because the diet allows for proteins mostly from animal

sources, which tend to also be high in unhealthy, saturated fats and can lead to an

increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Though closely linked to protein intake, a high

fat intake can have other, very serious health effects.

Contrary to popular belief, a healthy diet can and should include fat. It is only

when consumption is taken to the extreme that it can cause serious problems. The amount

of fat, both saturated and unsaturated, is outrageous. High intakes of saturated fats have

been shown to dramatically increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases, such as high

blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. Further, high intakes of trans fatty acids have

been linked to an increased risk for developing breast, colon, and prostate cancer.

Another huge problem associated with high fat intake is high cholesterol. It is no secret

that the country has a problem with high cholesterol, but the cause may be surprising.

Many are under the impression that consuming large amounts of cholesterol is the

reason for our high cholesterol problem. The truth is the solution is much more

complicated than simply limiting our intake of dietary cholesterol. In fact, Americans

typically consume less than the daily recommended amount for cholesterol. The problem

lies with the high consumption of saturated fat. The body is capable of producing a
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sufficient amount of cholesterol to keep it healthy. When we consume too much saturated

fat, our regulatory mechanism overestimates our needs, and therefore produces more than

is necessary. Since the Atkins diet allows such a large amount of saturated fat, it is simply

making the problem worse.

Dietary fiber is an element of nutrition that is often dismissed as unimportant, and

is another area that is violated by the Atkins Diet. The United States has a history of

consuming deficient amounts of dietary fiber for approximately 20 years. The Atkins diet

is only making the problem worse. The recommended daily intake of dietary fiber is

twenty to thirty-five grams per day. The average American consumes less than twelve

grams of fiber per day. The rising popularity of the Atkins diet has reduced this number

even further. This is because most of the healthy sources of fiber, such as fruit,

vegetables, and legumes are not allowed on the program due to their high carbohydrate

content. One negative consequence of fiber deficiency is a painful condition known as

diverticulitis. Although it not a well known disease, it affects a large number of

Americans. Diverticulitis is characterized by small pockets that form in weak areas of the

colon. These pockets tend to trap feces and other fibrous material, causing them to

become infected (Manore 132).

The last area of nutrition that the Atkins Diet negatively affects is the area of

vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are specialized amino acids that are necessary for human

life. These vitamins are found in small amounts in animal products, but are especially

abundant in plant products. As discussed previously, the Atkins Diet limits the intake of

foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes. A restricted intake of vitamins and minerals

can have alarming effects on a person’s health. First, a diet lacking vitamins and minerals
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can lead to a decrease in immune function, which leaves the body more susceptible to

disease. Secondly, a diet lacking in vitamins and minerals is also lacking in antioxidants,

powerful substances that protect the body from irregular environments. There has been a

great deal of popularity surrounding the effects of antioxidants, but few realize their

potential to protect the body. In fact, most people carry some cancerous cells in their

body the majority of the time. The difference between those who suffer the ill effects of

the cancer and those who are equipped with the ability to fight it is the level of

antioxidants in their bodies. Antioxidants have the power to correct the abnormalities of

cancerous cells before they have a chance to spread to the surrounding areas.

Consequently, the limited intake of vitamins and minerals allowed in the Atkins Diet has

the potential to increase the occurrence of cancer. With all of these devastating effects,

why would anyone want to follow this program? The answer is that many choose to

remain ignorant of the health risks in favor of enjoying the quick and “easy” weight loss

the program provides. Isn’t there a better way? The answer is: of course there is.

So what is this magical weight loss solution? The answer is simple: eat less and

exercise more. If the answer is so simple, then why is the weight loss industry making

millions of dollars each year and why is the majority of the country still battling obesity?

Even though the answer is simple, it does require a certain amount of will power and

sacrifice. Since it is not the easy answer, most Americans choose not to abide by it,

instead searching for an easier alternative. Even though it is not the answer most people

are looking for, it is the only one that is proven to work safely and effectively.
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Works Cited

Manore, Melinda and Janice Thompson. Nutrition: An Applied Approach. San Francisco:

Pearson, 2005.

SirGan. “The Facts About the Atkins Diet: Pros and Cons.” SteadyHealth.com 20 May

2006. 28 November 2006

http://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/the_facts_about_Atkins_Diet_Pros_and_Cons_a14

2_f0.html

Steer, Toni. “The Atkins Diet.” Practice Nurse 26 (2003): 44-46.

Wolever, T.M.S. The Glycaemic Index: A Physiological Classification of Dietary

Carbohydrate. Ontario, Canada: CABI, 2006.