surface and in any medical research, large numbers of
participants are needed to account for many variables.
In 2004, Jody Gorran, a 53-year-old businessman
from Florida, sued the promoters of the Atkins diet,
saying that the plan clogged his arteries and nearly
killed him. Mr. Gorran claimed that he was seduced
by the plan and that by eating the high levels of protein
and fats touted by the plan, his cholesterol soared. His
lawsuit was backed by the Washington-based advo-
cacy group called Physicians Committee for Respon-
sible Medicine. Mr. Gorran sought damages and to
seek an injunction preventing the sale of Atkins’ books
and products without fair and adequate warnings
about the dangers of the diet. The lawsuit was dis-
missed late in 2006 by a judge, but an appeals
continue.
Atkins’ company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection in July 2005. The company completed its
Chapter 11 reorganization by January 2006, having
streamlined some operations, and continued to oper-
ate early in 2007, making Dr. Atkins’ diet run more
than 35 years long.
Controversy even surrounded Atkins’ death in- Though he died when he slipped on the ice out-
side his office in February 2003. He spent eight days in
a coma before dying, and a copy of the medical exam-
iner’s report showed that his weight upon death was
258 pounds. Critics of Atkins’s diet said that this was
considered obese for a man who was six feet tall. His
allies said that most of the pounds were gained
in Atkins’ time in a coma because of fluid retention.
But even while Atkins was alive, he had reported
problems with his heart, though his physician’s coun-
cil said the trouble was from an enlarged heart, which
had stemmed from a viral infection, not from his diet.
Though Dr. Atkins added that numerous studies
pointed to the fact that carbohydrates were to blame
for weight gain, an explanation for how his diet pro-
gram worked was never really offered by researchers.
Numerous studies continued throughout the 1990s
and even after Dr. Atkins’ death. Though some studies
showed that people on the Atkins diet often lost
weight faster in six months than those on other weight
loss programs, the long-term effectiveness and possi-
ble harmful effects of the Atkins diet required more
study.
In 1992, Dr. Atkins updated hisDiet Revolution
and by 2004Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolutionhad sold
more than 45 million copies and been translated into
25 languages. The new plan was the same, but the
maintenance portion of the diet was made a little
more liberal. The diet was extremely popular, as were
Atkins Nutritionals products, such as vitamin supple-
ments and numerous food items. A later Web-based
version called the Atkins Advantage emphasized the
products of Atkins Nutritionals and offered addi-
tional books, software, and information on a com-
pany Website to support the program’s goals and
products.Resources
BOOKS
Atkins, Robert C.Atkins for Life.M. Evans, 2003.
Atkins, Robert C.Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution.St. Mar-
tin’s Paperbacks, 2004. 2003.
ORGANIZATIONS
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. New York, NY.<http://www
.atkins.com>
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 5100 Wis-
consin Ave NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20016.
202-686-2210.<http://www.atkinsdietalert.org>Teresa G. OdleAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diet
seeADHD dietQUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR
DOCTOR What aspects of the Atkins diet do you feel are
appropriate for weight loss?
How often would I need to be seen by a
physician or registered dietitian while following
the atkins diet?Atkins diet