Anyone know if this guy has gotten any traction outside the UK since January? He seems a kinder/gentler version of Atkins (not unlike the misguided South Beach). No real evidence at Amazon that anyone has bought his book. How does he compare to Groves?

Sat 10 Jan 2004
Scotland's answer to the Atkins diet

TARA WOMERSLEY
HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

A SCOTTISH surgeon is fast becoming Britain’s answer to Dr Atkins, with sales of his book starting to rival those from the American diet guru.

Since Prof Charles Clark’s book was launched a week ago, it has sold more than 26,000 copies.

The book, The New High Protein Healthy Fast Food Diet, launched on 2 January, is already one of Amazon top sellers and at points through the past week has even been outselling Dr Atkins’s New Diet Revolution on amazon.co.uk.

Prof Clark stressed that his book is all about maintaining a healthy diet and that, unlike Atkins, he does not limit vegetable intake, apart from potatoes and parsnips.

His low-carbohydrate - as opposed to no-carbohydrate - philosophy advises people to cut out refined carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, cakes and confectionery reducing the amount of insulin produced, with the result that, instead of making fat, the body starts burning it.

Prof Clark is already the biggest selling European diet-book author, The New High Protein Diet having sold more than 250,000 copies since being published 18 months ago.

Prof Clark, 46, who was born in Edinburgh and went to George Heriot’s - he studied medicine at Edinburgh University and became the youngest consultant surgeon in the UK in 1988 - drew on work as a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at London’s Diabetes and Lipid Centre to devise the diet.

He said: "I am always being compared to Atkins, which I suppose is inevitable but the difference is that Atkins is restrictive and needs supplements. The difference between us and Atkins is that Atkins reduces all carbs whereas we only reduce refined carbs."

Prof Clark adds that no supplements are required on his diet, and even herbs and spices have been added for their nutritional value.

In Scotland, Waterstones reports that the book is equalling Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution in sales, while in the UK as a whole, sales are a quarter of that of the more established New Diet Revolution.

At various times in the week Prof Clark’s book was ahead of Atkins, at No4 on amazon. co.uk’s top sellers list, which is updated hourly, although by late afternoon yesterday, it had slipped to No45, with Atkins at No20.

A spokeswoman for Waterstones said: "It appears that although Atkins titles are still very popular his diet has inspired people to look around for less daunting advice.

"The latest Atkins title, Atkins for Life, does not appear to offer much more than his previous books, whereas The High Protein Fast Food Diet does have a new more user-friendly style."

A spokeswoman for Atkins said that the Atkins New Diet Revolution had sold more than two million copies in the UK.

She added: "As obesity reaches epidemic proportions, the Atkins Nutritional Approach provides a safe and effective working solution to combat overweight and promote good health through the principles of controlled carbohydrate intake. The programme’s success is reflected in book sales.

"At all stages of Atkins we encourage consumption of nutrient-dense foods, including plenty of vegetables, with the introduction of fruits and whole grains in the latter phases as one approaches ideal weight."

Amazon said that Prof Clark’s book had done particularly well through word of mouth.

The spokeswoman added: "Due to its position in the top 50 throughout the week the title has been doing really well. I think that people want to look at alternatives to Dr Atkins and want to maybe look at diets along those lines, but not in the Atkins mould."


This article:

http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=88&id=30712004

The diet has been around for several years, this is his fourth book. The first ones were The New High Proten Diet, The New High Protein Diet Cookbook and a carb-counter.

Although I don't follow it religiously, my "generic low carb" is much closer to his than to Atkins. He's less technical, less restrictive in the initial phase and generally more oriented to the UK market.

Agreed, I too have a fairly generic low carb WOE and would say I'm closer to Dr CC rather than Atkins since getting his books. Found his books a lot easier to read and less intimidating too.

cheers
maxa

I've only ever read Charles Clark's books and they have been brilliant for me, simply wonderful... to the extent that I have now lost about 65 pounds since 24th January this year.

The book made it sound too easy, but it turned out to be telling the truth. After seeing what it did for me there are about six or seven other people who've borrowed my books and started the diet themselves.

Easy to read, easy to understand, less severe than Atkins and an out and out winner - well recommended!