What the experts say

Diet offers some good points, some bad

Diet offers some good points, some bad

Margot Brennan, the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute: Firstly, losing weight and keeping that weight off is about a holistic approach to one's lifestyle where the problem areas are identified and overall changes are made leading to sustained weight loss and health gain.

Though Atkins is a four-phased diet which drastically reduces carbohydrate intake in the early phases and slowly increases the carb content further on most people never get beyond phase one where most weight loss occurs and once they lose weight they simply return to their old habits causing them to regain all the weight, so show no change in behaviour.

Secondly, the diet is by its own admittance unbalanced in many nutrients particularly fibre, vitamins B, A,C,E and the Atkins foundation encourages taking supplements to counteract the shortfalls, however the nutrients it lacks are also very important for the prevention of many diseases as they work as antioxidants and hence offer protective properties against certain cancers and heart disease.

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Many of these antioxidants would not be available in food supplements. Thirdly, recent research following the diet trials series in the UK found that people on Atkins were only taking 1,300 calories/day though they could in theory eat as much meat, fish, eggs etc as they choose however it transpired after further research that the participants had reduced appetite attributed to the high protein diet and not by any magical fat burning system as discussed in the Atkins book.

Prof Mike Gibney, Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College Dublin: The first point to be made is that the basic principles of the Atkins Diet have been around for more than 20 years (previously known as the Scarsdale Diet) and some people argue that the concept of a diet starving the body of carbohydrates has its origins in 19th-century France.

The diet is based on the biochemical process of forcing the body into a partially ketotic state in which the body is forced to deal with the dilemma of having to synthesise glucose for obligate glucose-using organs such as the brain and at the same time switch over to fat as the primary fuel for energy.

Because these two routes of metabolism cross the same metabolic intersection, traffic builds up in one direction, in this instance fat combustion.

Because of this logjam, the oxidation of fat for energy is incomplete leading to the excretion of ketone bodies in urine. This change becomes less significant over time and organs such as the brain begin to accept substrates other than glucose for energy.

Another aspect of the possible success of this diet is that a high protein diet is satiating and makes you feel full. Although this diet contravenes the World Health Organisation's advise on low fat, high carbohydrate diets for the reduction of heart disease and cancer, the Aktins diet is primarily about weight loss. However, there is almost certainly nothing wrong with the Atkins Diet, if there was, I'm sure there would be epidemiological evidence showing this up.

That said, there have not been enough long term studies to indicate any long term side effects that may exist.

Dr Patrick Wall, Centre for Food Safety, University College Dublin: Atkins has some good points which if taken on board will bring you 80 per cent of the way without having to have your life taken over by what you are able to eat. Consistently taking exercise, drinking two litres of water per day, cutting down alcohol consumption, stopping eating before you feel stuffed, eating three meals per day (as going for long periods without eating can lead to 'cravings'), eating smaller portions, cutting down on caffeine, ceasing eating highly refined carbohydrate products are all good initiatives recommended by Atkins. If you add in, stopping smoking, consuming five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, taking sufficient relaxation so you don't burn out, making an effort to do things or stop doing things so that you have peace of mind, you needn't read on - and there's no charge for the advice.

However, there are certain carbohydrates whose exclusion from the diet result in you missing out on important nutritients such as phytochemicals. For example excluding certain fruit and vegetables (as recommended by Atkins), you may lose weight but you might end up a thin corpse. Also, by cutting down on the consumption of fruit and vegetables, you may not consume enough fibre. The induction phase of Atkins involves abstaining from most carbohydrates to make the body break down fat to provide the necessary sugar for energy. This induces a state of ketosis which may not be healthy, particularly for anyone with mild undiagnosed diabetes. The high protein nature of the diet is not suitable for everyone and those prone to gout will find their condition aggravated. Excessive consumption of saturated fats long term will damage your health especially for those with a family history of heart disease, will result in premature death. Finally, a diet like Atkins which advocates the daily consumption of mineral and vitamin supplements for all, and fibre supplements for some, cannot be considered a balanced diet.