- Almost half of Scotland's 15 hospital trusts will refuse
to provide the Atkins diet to patients who request it, due to concerns
that it is not a balanced healthy eating plan.
-
- While seven refused to make the diet available, another
five said they would judge each request individually and consult with dieticians.
Only three confirmed that it was the patient's prerogative to opt for low-
carbohydrate food from the hospital menu, though even they would not recommend
the diet.
-
- This is the latest in a series of high-profile clashes
between the medical community and the controversial eating programme, which
has an estimated two million followers in Britain alone. Last week dieticians
at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital banned the Atkins diet from
its menus. Recently the government-funded Medical Research Council condemned
the diet as "pseudo science" and claimed it could lead to kidney
damage in some people.
-
- Many of Scotland's major NHS Trusts concur with that
view. A spokeswoman for Highland Acute Hospitals said: "The diet is
nutritionally imbalanced, potentially hazardous in the short-term and almost
definitely in the long-term, presenting an increased risk of major diseases
like cancer and bowel disorders. We have no policy for its use and no plans
to offer it within the hospital setting at this stage."
-
- While the trust pointed out that patients can avoid foods
on the menu which are high in carbohydrates, it would be "reluctant
to support its use without further evidence of long-term benefits".
-
- Several other trusts have also taken a strong stance
on the issue. "We have a healthy eating policy and the Atkins diet
really wouldn't form part of that. If people came into hospital on the
diet then they would certainly be advised to stop," said a spokeswoman
for North Glasgow University Hospitals. She added that the trust refused
to endorse it due to "concerns about the diet's nutritional deficiencies".
-
- New York doctor Robert Atkins first published his diet
in 1972 and it was largely ignored for 20 years as researchers promoted
the low-fat diet. However, since 1992 his book, The New Diet Revolution,
has sold 25 million copies worldwide and is currently selling more than
120,000 copies a month in the UK, beaten only by the latest Harry Potter
book.
-
- At the centre of the Atkins doctrine is a diet rich in
protein, high in fat with a low carbohydrate intake. Despite the diet's
popularity there has been little detailed scientific research on the subject.
One study published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine
found that more weight was lost on the Atkins diet in the short-term but
recommended that further research is conducted to assess long-term cardiovascular
effects before the diet could be endorsed.
-
- Several Scottish trusts, such as Yorkhill and Dumfries
and Galloway referred to the guidelines of the British Dietetic Association
(BDA) as a central feature of their dieticians' advice. In a recent statement
on "fad diets" the nation's largest organisation of nutrition
professionals noted: "On the basis of current evidence, the British
Dietetic Association would not recommend the Atkins diet as the best approach
for healthy weight control."
-
- A third of trusts questioned said they would consult
with their dieticians on a case-by-case basis to determine whether patients
would be given the diet. "Concerns about nutritional deficiencies
would be down to individual cases and discussions would take place with
dieticians," said a spokeswoman for Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals Trust.
-
- Only three of the trusts questioned left the decision
entirely to patients ñ although even they refused to support the
regimen. Shona Singers of Tayside University Hospitals said: "The
dietetic department ... advises that if a patient wants to choose a low-carb
diet from the menu list that would be their choice. However, they say they
would not advocate the Atkins diet in hospital, preferring patients to
choose a normal, balanced diet."
-
- Dr Stuart Trager, a consultant to Atkins Nutritionals
in New York, attacked the approach adopted by many Scottish trusts. "It's
not a fair policy. It's a shame these hospitals aren't catering to their
patients' dietary needs. I'm not sure hospitals should be dictating dietary
practices. One benefit of Atkins is that individuals can follow the diet
on their own. So individuals admitted to hospital will just have to make
their own compromises and decisions," he said.
-
- Trager dismissed any suggestion that the diet is unhealthy:
"Emerging science and research shows that this nutritional approach
is healthy and effective and it's becoming increasingly difficult for a
medical professional to ignore the growing number of people who are successful
in losing weight and improving their health by limiting carbohydrates.
-
- "Many medical professionals are unfortunately unaware
of the scientific research that supports this and fall victim to the misconceptions
that are frequently exploited by those opposed to limiting carbohydrates."
-
- Nil by mouth?
-
- Argyll & Clyde Acute Hospitals Trust "We would
consult with dieticans on these issues"
-
- Ayrshire & Arran Acute Hospitals "We don't provide
the Atkins diet for patients who want it. All our patient menus are nutritionally
analysed by state-registered dieticians"
-
- Borders General Hospital Trust Headquarters "We
would consult with dieticians on these issues"
-
- Dumfries & Galloway Acute Hospitals "We wouldn't
recommend the diet for health reasons. The patients can choose from a menu
so it's up to them what they want to eat. We wouldn't force them to come
off the Atkins diet"
-
- Fife Acute Hospitals Trust "We don't prescribe it
at the moment. We're waiting for further guidelines to come out on these
diets"
-
- Forth Valley Acute Hospitals Trust "The trust does
not make the diet available for our patients"
-
- North Glasgow University Hospitals Trust "We have
a healthy eating policy and the Atkins diet really wouldn't form part of
that. If people came into hospital on the diet they would certainly be
advised to stop"
-
- South Glasgow University Hospitals Trust "We do
not provide the Atkins diet. If we received a specific request for it we
would speak to the consultant in charge of the patient's care. The medic's
decision on the matter would be final"
-
- Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust "We do not
make the Atkins diet available to our patients due to the lack of clinical
evidence either way"
-
- Highland Acute Hospitals Trust "We have no policy
for its use and no plans to offer it within the hospital setting at this
stage"
-
- Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals Trust "If a patient
came into the hospital on the Atkins diet they would be offered food based
on the menus provided"
-
- Lothian University Hospitals Trust "There are always
a number of items to choose on the Trust's menu including a number of low
carbohydrate options"
-
- Tayside University Hospitals Trust "The dieticians'
department advises that if a patient wants to choose a low-carbohydrate
diet from the menu list that would be their choice"
-
- The Yorkhill Trust "We don't do the Atkins diet"
-
- West Lothian Healthcare Trust "We would consult
with dieticians on these issues"
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- ©2003 smg sunday newspapers ltd. no.176088. all
rights reserved.
-
- http://www.sundayherald.com/36238
-
-
- Comment
-
- From Sheryl Jackson
- moonfyre1@earthlink.net
- 8-27-3
-
- The Atkins diet became very popular during the early
seventies when the major talk show hosts, Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin
made the diet popular by calling it the Drinking Man's Diet. One could
consume clear white liquors. Vodka, gin, white wine.
-
- It was also important to read the entire book and see
the emphasis that Dr. Atkins placed on the one thing that could prevent
these bowel disorders and the kidney and bladder problems that can often
become cancer. Water and salt are imperative to the diet. Or you really
can get very ill. Margaret Cho went on this diet and did permanent kidney
damage because no one told her to read the book or to drink water.
-
- Drinking one and a half gallons of water a day and consuming
salt, allowed one to lose weight quickly and keep it off if you continued
to do the diet and add things like spinach, onions, nuts, and cauliflower.
The book known as Atkins Quick Weight Loss Diet sold millions of copies
and the recipes that were in the book were very good, quick and tasty.
-
- The book takes you from the start of the diet and the
use of keto sticks, helped you to keep in the "purple". The
diet consists mainly of meat, cheese and eggs. Broiled, boiled, baked
or fried in butter. One could use all of the fat of the meat or dairy
products because the body reaches a state of ketosis. A form of shock
that could endanger one if you were in an accident and bleeding. One would
have to eat or consume sugar or bread to break the ketosis.
-
- It does lead to hemorrhoids if you do not drink the water
EVERY SINGLE DAY. Most people do not like to drink water. He also recommended
that one drink Shasta cola that was made with saccharin. Not aspartame
- that creates its own medical horrors. But saccharin. He was very clear
about that and took no responsibility for any other sweetener.
-
- Personally, I lost 94 pounds in 98 days. I kept it off
for six years. The only time I have ever lost weight and kept it off was
on this diet. I no longer consume meat so the diet is not for me anymore.
But for anyone who really wants to use this diet to lose weight, I suggest
that you read the book from cover-to-cover before you start the diet.
Check out the recipes. Make sure you want to make the commitment.
-
- One stick of gum can kick your ketosis right out, so
you must not consume anything that is not on the diet. No medications,
they are processed by the body as carbohydrates. It is a very severe diet,
but there is no limit to how much meat you can consume in a day. You can
eat 50 thousand calories of meat per day, but not veggies. No fruit, no
sugar, flour, limited caffeine and you may have two alcohol drinks if they
are clear white.
-
- I have noticed that people with canine molars or vampire
molars seem to do best on this meat diet, and those with herbivore teeth,
even with no canines, do not do as well. Most predator animals are very
thin and they eat only meat. They have canines to help rip and tear the
meat. And so do the people with those teeth. We just do better on the
meat, cheese and eggs.
-
- Try it, you may lose alot of weight, but you will put
it back on if you do not stay in the low range of carbohydrate consumption.
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