Publication Date: 24 July 2003

Chewing the fat over best-seller Atkins diet
Advice as book flies off the shelves

By Marie Foy
email: mfoy~belfasttelegraph.co.uk

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ULSTER weight-watchers were today advised to stick to a balanced diet as the controversial Atkins diet book sells a treat.

The book by the late Dr Robert C Atkins is the second most popular read in Britain after Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The diet has been praised by several celebrities including former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, Friends star Jennifer Aniston and actress Minnie Driver, which has boosted its popularity.

Friends star Jennifer Aniston has tried and praised the diet The book has sold 1.1 million copies in Britain since it was published in 1999. The updated paperback version, which came out in January, is selling over 120,000 copies a week.

Waterstone's in Royal Avenue, Belfast, said that the book had been its ninth best seller last week - but had been consistently in or close to the top 10 favourites over the last two years.

It encourages people to fill up with steak, eggs, fish, butter and bacon.

Foods rich in carbohydrates such as bread, potatoes and pasta are eaten only in small amounts.

And vegetables, fruit and alcohol are also limited.

But health experts fear that the diet's low carbohydrate, high-protein regime could be dangerous.

A spokesman for the Health Promotion Agency in Northern Ireland said they did not recommend any specific diet but advocated eating a healthy and balanced range of food and healthy eating patterns.

"A varied diet includes a little from each of the food groups.

"Over and above that advice we would recommend less sugar, fat and salt and more fibre with a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis," he added