PCRM Group Says Atkins Diet Caused Teen's Death

[DWRolfe]

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A nutrition advocacy group said on Thursday the popular Atkins diet has caused heart disease and could have killed a teen-age dieter and urged the U.S. government to monitor the high-fat weight loss approach.

The Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine stressed it could not prove the diet hurt or killed anyone, but one dieter said he was convinced the approach clogged his arteries and the parents of a teen-ager who died while on the diet also blame her meat-heavy regimen.

The PCRM called on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) to monitor diet approaches and check for evidence that the Atkins and other high-fat, high-protein diets may be harming people's health.

"You can never say this diet caused this death," PCRM director Dr. Neal Barnard cautioned. That is why he said the CDC should monitor large groups over time to see if there is an association.

The CDC had no immediate comment.

But Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. said its diet was safe. "There is no logic and no science to support any association between these individuals and the ANA (Atkins Nutritional Approach)," said Colette Heimowitz, vice president of education and research for the company.

The Atkins diet has made headlines around the world with a radical approach that flies in the face of most medical advice. First published in 1972 by Dr. Robert Atkins, who died after a fall last April, it is based on the theory that carbohydrates make people fat.

It encourages dieters to shun bread, pasta, fruit and many vegetables in favor of meat, butter and other fatty food.

"What I contend is that the Atkins diet gave me heart disease," Jody Gorran, a 53-year-old Florida businessman, said at a news conference. He said his arteries clogged and cholesterol shot up while on the diet.

DEATH OF TEEN DIETER

Paul and Lisa Huskey of Columbia, Missouri, say their 16-year-old daughter, Rachel, died of a heart arrhythmia in 2000 while on the diet. Dr. Paul Robinson, a pediatrician at the hospital where Rachel died, said the diet could have caused her death by leaching calcium and potassium from her body.

Many doctors and the American Heart Association (news - web sites) have warned that the diet could be dangerous. The Heart Association advocates a diet based on whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

It warned that over time the Atkins diet and similar approaches could raise cholesterol. Other experts have said it might also increase the risk of kidney disease and the PCRM adds osteoporosis and colon cancer to the list of risks.

The PCRM, which advocates a strict vegetarian diet, set up an online registry at www.atkinsdietalert.org for people to offer complaints about the diet.

Barnard said 188 people had logged on and complained of minor issues such as bad breath, constipation and a lack of energy. But then the complaints became more serious and included kidney, heart and gallbladder problems.

"These are all the conditions that physicians warned would be likely to occur in individuals on low-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat diets," Barnard said.

Doctors say anyone who loses weight will lower cholesterol in the short term.

More than 60 percent of American adults ore overweight or obese so the need for effective diets is clear.

"The skinniest people on the planet are vegetarians and Asians," Barnard said.

[komireds]

"The skinniest people on the planet are vegetarians and Asians," Barnard said.

are you kidding me?! I gained 30 pounds as a vegetarian!

[Birdy...]

Such Stupidity!

But look who is behind the study...The "vegetarians". :nono:

Birdy...

[tamarian]

PCRM had the same release last year, and in 2001 for the same teen girl, with yet to be shown evidence. The claim has been refuted since 2000!

Shey should look for new material.
"The skinniest people on the planet are vegetarians and Asians," Barnard said. It's interesting they promote being "skinny", while calling themselves responsible. That type of thinking and eating disorders is what kills many teens

Wa'il

[MisterE]

I've said it for most of my professional TV Director life: people who misrepresent facts and call it news should have their press credentials removed on 1st violation. Crap shoveled as news is still crap.

Because of the current importance of Atkins to the health and well-being of so many new converts THIS made news. If it bleeds it leads. This smacks of "Grocery Store Newsrag"...you could change some of the words around, and IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, with the "truth" they report you could put in added parts for Elvis sightings and then say that this poor unfortunate child's demise was due to (fill in the blank).

I feel for the family of the girl.

BUT the more this diet is accepted AND found to be a more healthy alternative to the high carb diets you will see far more of this as all sorts of special interest groups (bakers, candy makers, soda makers, high carb beer bottlers, potato and rice farmers, and pharmaceutical companies that see their profits fall rapidly as people get healthy and off drugs!) try to bust any kind of low carbing in the tailbone.

Here is to truth in reporting. Here is to truth in politics. Here is to truth from corporations.

I don't report this as anything more than my personal opinion BUT I figure a little research will find many more positive reports (using fair medical data and not some fixed criteria) on Atkins and most other low carb diets than the few bad reports on atkinsdietalert.org. PETA groups, vegans, and the like are not about to be pro meat eating and will try their damnedest to get their point accross. The fact that this story got out is as close to print Jerry Springer-ism as I have seen in recent days.

[moremad13]

Hi, folks -

I opened my online connection today and found the ridiculous assertions about the potential dangers of the Atkins diet. How maddening!

So here's what I did. I went to the site where we can all log our troubles with the diet (www.atkinsdietalert.org). In the section where I was asked to checkmark my particular difficulty, I entered the following:

I now suffer from extreme agitation - I lost 70 pounds which I have kept off, during which time I was monitored by my doctor who pronounces me to be in continuing excellent health at this time - I become extremely agitated when I read about attempts to discredit the Atkins diet by agencies and organizations that have an obvious bias - it is shameful for so-called scientists and doctors to 1) skew the facts to support a philosophical point of view, and 2) disguise an animal-rights platform as medical information and a public service. What about the hundreds of thousands of obese Americans who can benefit as I did, but who buy your propaganda instead? What about "First, do no harm?"

Not that I think anyone will listen, and maybe I will wake up with rotten eggs on my windows (no, make that egg beaters) since I had to enter my name and address. But it sure felt good to write.

Got to go. TIme for my nightly dead-animal feast.

[Lisa N]

Barnard said 188 people had logged on and complained of minor issues such as bad breath, constipation and a lack of energy. But then the complaints became more serious and included kidney, heart and gallbladder problems.

All of which could easily have been pre-existing conditions (and probably were) that those reporting them were unaware of prior to beginning a low carb regimen. Wonder how many of them followed the advice in the book and had a complete physical (including blood work) before they began which a person considering ANY diet change should do? Ever see the warnings from folks such as WW: "Always consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program".
I'd also like to note that they also likely got many responses to their survey reporting positive results with low carb (many from folks here on this site) but as I suspected, they're not releasing that data. :rolleyes: Maybe the CDC should ask to see ALL the responses, not just the ones that PCRM wants them to see. :lol:
As for that "massive heart defect", I've never heard of what you eat causing a physical defect in the heart; strep infections, viral infections and congenital abnormalities yes, but not diet.
Come to think of it, I developed gallbladder problems in a low fat diet. Maybe the CDC should look into the problems associated with low fat diets. :devil:

[kyrasdad]

In a report like this, would it be too much to ask for the reporter to explain that the advocacy group is connected to, and funded by, a pro-vegetarian group that has a vested interest in seeing that people are scared away from the Atkins diet for motives other than the public good?

If there existed a credible study that proved that low carb eating was detrimental to my health, I'd stop today. I haven't seen such a study. I'm really not a radical defender of low-carb; if it was unhealthy, I wouldn't do it. I've got no stake in it.

I just want to be healthy - I ain't here to be part of a crusade, although it appears the advocacy group who released that website obviously is.

[Groggy60]

So if one girl dies from heart arrhythmia while Atkins and they blame low-carb. Shouldn't you blame low-fat for all the other young people that die of heart arrhythmia.

Statistically speaking, people get sick of many different things and we would have to expect much of this to happen regardless of what you have been eating for the last month. It not like the Atkins diet diet could have clogged her arteries in that short a time.

[kyrasdad]

Here's one of the goals of this organization, from their website:

"Physicians and other health care practitioners who prescribe high-protein diets may be putting themselves at legal risk if their patients develop complications associated with those diets. Consumers who believe that a high-protein diet contributed to their health problems may have legal recourse."

(link to the legal issues page) (http://www.atkinsdietalert.org/legal.html)

What this means is, we're scaring doctors. If enough doctors are scared to put their patients on low-carbohydrate diets, we'll kill this thing as a mainstream way of eating.

I'd like to see a comprehensive study on these charges - that would have some heft with me. Trying to scare doctors into demonizing low-carb diets won't. Although I dread going into my guy the next time and having to endure the lecture I'm sure I'm going to get.

[3shewolf8]

My dad recently went to the hospital and was diagnosed with heart arythmia, they caught it in time and he lived. He is definately NOT on Atkins, or any other lo-carb diet. He eats lo-fat because of his cholesterol levels!!! No he has to eat even lower fat, so I can't believe that someone would blame a girls death on Atkins!! I think that the gain in popularity of the "way of eating" is just plain bringing the fruitcakes out of the closet. Remember, some people are just not going to let anyone else be happy, and they always have to have something to complain about!!

[cc48510]

So if one girl dies from heart arrhythmia while Atkins and they blame low-carb. Shouldn't you blame low-fat for all the other young people that die of heart arrhythmia.

Statistically speaking, people get sick of many different things and we would have to expect much of this to happen regardless of what you have been eating for the last month. It not like the Atkins diet diet could have clogged her arteries in that short a time.

My Uncle died from Hypertension/Diabetes most likely caused by years of eating that Low-Fat/Low-Calorie [and consequently Hi-Sugar/Hi-Carb/Hi-Salt] crap these folks try to pass off as "food." Hypertension/Diabetes is most of the time caused by diet...Heart Arrythmia OTOH is not related to diet.

If they want to compare numbers, we could make a list alot longer than their's of folks who've died while on a Low-Fat and/or Low-Calorie diet. Hell, there's probably more folks in my own family who took an early dirt nap due to heart disease/diabetes [which we know is caused by eating too many carbs and trans-fats]...than there are folks on PCRM's entire list.

[VALEWIS]

Check this out. It is purportedly a group of concerned physicians, and there is a register for people to indicate their health problems due to Atkins...I registered, gave them a glowing account, and a serve for their bias etc. If a whole bunch of folks do this too, it might be interesting...bombard them with pro-low carb stories!
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/21/1069027307658.html

Val

[Xena2005]

This was taken from another forum that I am with:

'Well yet again we read the same old story about Atkins causing death. This
article also gives the website of an US association of doctors who are
actively campaigning against Atkins and low carb diets. In fact, there is a
registry for complaints. I am notifying them of my success, rather than all
the terrible conditions they associate with Atkins in particular. Perhaps we
could all bombard them with the positive aspects?'

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/21/1069027307658.html

[black57]

Yeah, I wrote the site that published the article, twice!

[Lauri]

I too went to the diet alert website,. I listed all my maladies prior to starting the diet. None of these were checked on the following after list. Under specific problems I was having I wrote this.

" Since starting the diet my energy level is so high I am no longer able to take afternoon naps. I get up earlier in the morning and finish my daily chores so quickly that I am forced to spend more time working out at the gym, furthering my education and spending time with my family. It is also hard to find enough money to buy all the smaller sized clothes."

I hope they enjoy my response as much as I enjoyed writng it.

[Maurice]

So last night I am watching the news, and the US Medical Association reports that they now have evidence that low carbing is risky to your health. Lot of concerns about kidney complications, Heart Disease etc. Was asking the US gov't to better monitor this diet fad...as they felt there would be down stream medical costs to the system. Hum I wonder what the medical cost of obesity are?

Any thoughts on this report?

[Fat]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 — Jody Gorran was proud of his 32-inch waistline — until a heart scan showed an artery had become almost entirely blocked during the two years he was on the Atkins diet. Lisa Huskey was happy about being on a diet with her 16-year-old daughter, Rachel, until Rachel dropped dead from a heart arrhythmia in class. Both say the high-fat, high-protein approach advocated by the Atkins diet was responsible.

WHAT I CONTEND is that the Atkins diet gave me heart disease,” Gorran said at a news conference sponsored by the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. “I traded a 32-inch waist for heart disease.”
The Atkins diet has sparked both admiration and debate with its radical approach based on the theory that carbohydrates make people fat.
It calls for a stringent break-in period designed to induce a metabolic change called ketosis. Dieters are advised to shun carbohydrates in favor of fats and meat.
The body, overloading on fat and protein, theoretically breaks down fat cells for energy and sheds pounds of water as it struggles to get rid of toxic breakdown products.
Studies have shown the diet — like many diets — can help people lose weight.

But many doctors and the American Heart Association have repeatedly warned that the Atkins approach could be dangerous because it is too high in fat and protein and too low in fiber and vitamins.
“Anyone who has even been on this diet can tell you they spend the first few days in the bathroom, urinating,” said Dr. Paul Robinson, director of adolescent medicine at the University of Missouri hospital, where Rachel Huskey was taken.
The body is shedding water to clear out the breakdown products from fat in the diet, Robinson said at the news conference. The danger comes because the process pulls calcium and potassium from the blood.

HEART RHYTHM AFFECTED
Robinson said Rachel’s calcium and potassium levels were abnormally low. “These are very important electrolytes in regulating heartbeat,” he said.
“Adolescents, particularly, should not go on this diet, until there is more research,” added Robinson, who published a paper in the Southern Medical Journal about the case.

Lisa Huskey tearfully recounted how she and her daughter went on the diet together, happy that it allowed them to eat all the meat they wanted. “It sounds like it is too good to be true, this diet,” she said.
Dr. Richard Fleming, a cardiologist who has studied high-fat diets, attacked the premise that carbohydrates make people any fatter than any other food.
“Obesity is nothing more than the overconsumption of calories and it doesn’t matter whether those calories are carbohydrates, fat or protein,” Fleming said.
Fleming said the high fat content of the Atkins diet could worsen heart disease not only through raised cholesterol but by inflaming the arteries.

Gorran said when he started the diet, his total cholesterol level was a very low 148. In May 2001 it had gone up to 230. Anything above 200 is considered unhealthy.
A scan of his arteries before he started the diet had shown no evidence of heart disease.
“Two and a half years later, after being on the Atkins diet for that length of time, I had heart disease,” the 53-year-old Florida businessman said.
A new scan showed one artery was 90 percent blocked.
Three weeks ago, Gorran had an angioplasty — a procedure to clear his clogged artery. A mesh tube called a stent was inserted to keep his artery clear.
“I felt, overall, that I had been betrayed,” he said.
Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. says its diet is safe.

© 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.

[Fat]

I forgot to meantion that the following links sponsored this new LC news....LOL. Wouldn't you know it?

SPONSORED LINKS

• Tired of Diet Failure?
Try Leptoprin. Buy direct from the manufacturer and save $10. Overcome your genetic link to obesity.
http://www.thebodyforum.com
• Weight Loss Medication Drugs - MedzOnline.com
Prescription Weight Loss Medication - No prior prescription necessary. FREE USA Doctor consultation with each order.
http://www.medzonline.com/weight_loss.html

[doreen T]

Rachel Huskey's unfortunate death and the hooplah surrounding it blaming Atkins etc etc has been discussed here in our Research section numerous times .. back in 2002 when the report was first publicized, and again earlier this year when the UK media went nuts over it. You can do a search for it, there are dozens of threads.

FWIW .. we do not know if she was following the program by the book or not. We don't even know if she - or her mother - even read Atkins book at all. I read several news articles which stated the father bought a video for his wife and daughter about the Atkins diet from an informercial on TV. For all we know, it wasn't even the official Atkins video .. it could very well have been Kevin Trudeaus' video that hypes the diet but doesn't really give any details about how to do the program correctly. You can read more about Trudeau's Atkins video scam here (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=35745).


Doreen

[catfishghj]

what is the US Medical Association?

[bubu]

I would really like to know why the media portrayed this story so incorrectly to begin with.
I mean one scene had a guy saying 'he went for a 32 inch waist and ended up with heart disease. Then they go on to picture just meat and fat in their story
and the vegetables got a slight hint of a mention by this gal in the end. I was so stunned waiting for more info.
I would really like to see a factual discussion about this.
I am so tired of everyone making a case just because their "meds=$" are threatened.
I sure hope there is an honest somebody out there who can bring out the truth here pretty quick.

Why is the media not seeing that even those who deny success, have something to lose, and why are they not asking... "whats your answer....your way made the population sicker.....so why believe you guys?"

My goodness, they have had how many years to try and find a contradictory answer for this way of eating, enough time to bring on the evidence ....now that their money is threatened they still can't substantiate it.
I am all for truth, until then I will believe those who are in here and reporting their success and health.

Case in point, when my brother had his heart attack at age 45, the doctors told him...this doesn't happen over night...this was 20some years in the making.

[Lisa N]

It wasn't the US Medical Association, it was PCRM which is a front for advancing vegan propoganda and animal rights activists. Less than 5% of PCRM's members are actually physicians.

[doreen T]

Hi Doreen..About the Atkins news are you saying it is old news that they revised to scare ppl. off the diet?
Anna
Hi Anna,

This particular item is not news, it was published last year. Why the media keeps dredging up these old stories is anyone's guess. It's certainly sensational, and sensational sells :)


Doreen

[doreen T]

This is also being discussed in other threads here in the Research forum .. ..Atkins diet on CBCNEWS (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=150106)

Group Says Atkins Diet Caused Teen's Death (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=150009)

Atkins Physicians response to PCRM/Radical Vegans (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=150042)

hth,

Doreen

[Lisa N]

FWIW .. we do not know if she was following the program by the book or not. We don't even know if she - or her mother - even read Atkins book at all.

Another theory that was discussed in a very old thread is the possibility that this young lady was using over the counter diuretics and/or laxatives to help "speed" weight loss in combination with low carb since these types of electrolyte imbalances are often seen in people who are abusing OTC diuretics and/or laxatives for that purpose. I believe her parents and friends claimed no knowledge of such abuse, but then again something like that is very easy to keep hidden and I also don't believe any toxicology studies looking for such medications were done.

[mildwild]

I feel for the families who have lost someone and it only seems that when faced with such a tragedy their natural instuck is to seek a scapegoat, someone else to blame. I know this is not very heartfelt but I wonder if they have ever blamed their deceased?

The "life change" is very strick. For it to work properly you have to follow all aspects. Not enough exercise, too much "cheating," or neglecting to eat enough vegetables could all be causes for it to have gone wrong for these people...sure eating nothing but fat all the time is bad, but balance it with plenty of other healthy things such as exercise, plenty of water, vegetables, and a daily vitamin and there's nothing wrong.

I myself also believe it was most likely a previous health problem. As for the story about that younger girl, 15 was she, when was the last time they checked her heart before she went on Atkins? Everyone doing Atkins should go to their doctors and get a complete physical, only then if something goes wrong will we know where to point our fingers.

Authorities don't want to conduct their own tests or surveys, lets do it ourselves. How many people on this forum have worse health now than when they started? I'm sure we could find a gap in your lifestyle that is perhaps related to Atkins by means of it not being followed properly or perhaps it is a health problem you were unaware of before you started.

Humans were not meant to be coupped up in offices eating junk all day.

Eat right and exercise, that's what everyone's lifestyle change should be. It's doesn't take a doctor, a scientist, or a news reporter to tell me that.

-mildwild

[nawchem]

Has there been any mention of why Gorran, had a scan of his arteries done? I have never seen that as a test that the general public undergoes. So I'm guessing he already had some apparent risk factors that the article is not disclosing.

[tholian8]

are you kidding me?! I gained 30 pounds as a vegetarian!

So did I. Also, my allergies and asthma got worse, and I felt like hell all the time. On LC, presto changeo, everything got better, even the exercise-induced asthma. I can now RUN, which I could not do at this weight before--in fact I was never able to do it in my whole life before.

This article is nothing but the same old vegan propaganda garbage.

Emily

[Fat]

Thank you Doreen...Too bad my DH and DD heard this last night and frowned on it..it was on our local news..no one said anything about it being 2002, or any of the information you already know. They made it sound like it just happened..Weird.
Anna

[Maurice]

What is PCRM?

[Lisa N]

What is PCRM?

Read about who they are and who they are associated with here:
http://www.aim.org/publications/briefings/2002/25feb2002.html

Interesting to note that PETA is also closely allied with ALF who are considered a terrorist organization by the FBI. Nice company those folks keep. :rolleyes:

[alaskaman]

Its worth noting again that in the early 70's PCRM and Dr Neal Barnard were censured by the AMA for falsifying data in pushing their agenda. Barnard has denied this, said it wasn't a censure, the physicians who were there and voted on it replied in the AMA Journal that it WAS a censure. Nothing they say has any credibility.

[bradshaw]

Group Questions Safety of Atkins Diet
By Salynn Boyles
Nov. 20, 2003 -- For two-and-a half years, Jody Gorran faithfully followed the Atkins diet, regularly eating steaks and Caesar salads and forgoing bread, pasta, and other carb-packed foods. But his devotion to the high-protein, low-carbohydrate way of eating came to an abrupt end late last month when he underwent an emergency balloon angioplasty to open up a clogged heart artery.

Gorran says the diet gave him heart disease, and he believes he can prove it. A heart scan conducted six months before he started the diet showed no evidence of the plaque or calcification routinely seen in people with heart problems. But after two years on the Atkins diet he had developed angina and had a 99% blockage in a major artery.

Plus more at following website
http://webcenter.health.webmd.netscape.com/content/article/77/95324.htm

Personally, I am not giving up on Atkins at this moment. They will need to come out with some pretty hard stuff inorder to convince me.

[Angeline]

This case seem to have been brought forward by the PRCM so it's very very much suspect. As you might be aware the PRCM is pushing their own vegan lifestyle agenda. Atkins is a big threat to them. THey are also associated with Ornish the ultra-low-fat fanatic.

If this case is true it simply more proof that they are completely out of the ball park with their theory of satured-fat-causes heart disease. It has been strongly suggested in all recent studies that Atkins lowers all the so called proven risk factors for heart disease. If this case is true something else is at work.