Re: Atkins Diet Article-OT

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm, the link didn't work for me.

*scratches head in confoozled manner*

Jen B.

> Reading articles like this makes me even more comfortable

> recommending BFL to friends.

>

> http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113adkins

>

> Andy

[Guest guest]

Just go to the main page. digmo.com I had the same problem but it

was a front page story, so you can read the first few paragraphs, but

the link doesn't work there either.

Jeff

[Guest guest]

Apparently, they made an error in the link and put aDkins instead of

aTkins since I copied and pasted it earlier. They corrected it so

the link didn't work after I posted it. Here is their corrected link!

http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113atkins

Andy

> > Reading articles like this makes me even more comfortable

> > recommending BFL to friends.

> >

> > http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113adkins

> >

> > Andy

[Guest guest]

Don't know why it isn't working so I am reposting the entire article:

Doctors cite concerns about diet in teen's death

They say the case isn't conclusive, and advocates call the Atkins

diet safe.

By LAURA MONTGOMERY, reporter@...

November 13, 2002

MU doctors reported what they think could be the first case of a

death from a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet in the September

2002 issue of the Southern Medical Journal. Tonight, one of the

doctors will appear on the Phil Donahue show with the victim's mother

and a representative of Atkins Nutritionals to discuss the case.

About two years ago, a 16-year-old girl was admitted to University

Hospital's emergency room with heart arrhythmia, said ,

an assistant professor of clinical child health. The girl was at

school walking from her chair to the trash can when she collapsed.

She and her mother had been on the Atkins diet for two months. The

girl had gone off the diet for three weeks, but when school started,

she returned to the diet for about nine days before she died,

said. She lost 15 to 20 pounds over the course of the diet,

he said.

When the girl was admitted, doctors found that her levels of

potassium and calcium were very low. Such low levels can induce heart

arrhythmia, meaning that the heart is not beating adequately,

said.

The cause of the girl's death is not conclsively known.

" One case does not prove causality, " said. " We can't

absolutely say this diet did it; we're just concerned. "

The doctors wrote the paper to ask the medical community to pay

attention to this possible side effect of high-protein, low-

carbohydrate diets, said. " We wouldn't have written the

paper if we didn't think it was likely. "

The bodies of people on high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets consume

their glycogen because they are eating so little sugar,

said. This causes heavy urination, which means that the body loses

electrolytes like sodium, potassium and calcium.

The loss of electrolytes can also be caused by the eating disorder

bulimia nervosa, said, but in speaking with the girl's

mother, he found there was " absolutely no sign " that the girl had

bulimia.

" The autopsy was absolutely negative for drugs and diuretics, "

said.

The death might also be explained by a heart condition called

prolonged QT

syndrome. The condition is associated with people who are overweight,

and said the girl was overweight.

Atkins consultant Stuart Trager defended the Atkins diet.

" The concern is that at a time where there's never been in the

literature any clinically significant abnormalities of electrolytes

or cardiac events for patients actually following an Atkins diet, we

find it concerning to automatically make a link, " he said. " There has

never been a reported electrolyte abnormality of this sort reported

on someone following the Atkins diet or anyone who's passed away. "

Studies at Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania have

shown the diet to be safe and effective, Trager said.

The Atkins diet is recommended only under physician supervision and

with vitamin and electrolyte supplements. The girl was taking some

potassium, but not salt supplements, said.

" It's our understanding that she wasn't taking the supplements. Then

that's really not following the Atkins diet as we recommend it, "

Trager said.

" We're completely committed to getting to the bottom of this, " he

said.

Trager and agreed that dieting adolescents should be

supervised by physicians.

recommends an " old and boring " approach of lifestyle changes

rather than dieting for teenagers.

The Atkins diet may be reasonable for some but not the majority of

people, said. " We have very little research data on

children, and we really don't have a lot of good research data on

adults yet. "

is waiting for more scientific evidence before judging the

diet conclusively. Atkins has helped people realize that simple

sugars are bad, maybe just as much as fat, said. However, he

doesn't believe complex carbohydrates are also bad.

" Any diet that excludes one whole food group is suspect, "

said.

The Atkins diet has been in use for more than 30 years, with tens of

thousands of followers at its center in New York alone, Trager said.

MU professors Ted Groshong and ph Tobias, medical student Amy

s and dietician A. Turpin also co-wrote the Southern

Medical Journal article.

The Phil Donahue show airs at 7 p.m. on MSNBC. Other guests include

Dean Ornish, who supports a low-calorie, vegetarian-style diet, and

supporters of the Atkins diet.

Copyright ©2002 Columbia Missourian

> Just go to the main page. digmo.com I had the same problem but it

> was a front page story, so you can read the first few paragraphs,

but

> the link doesn't work there either.

> Jeff

[Guest guest]

That's cuz the link was wrong *pokes Andy* here's the correct one:

http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113atkins

> > Reading articles like this makes me even more comfortable

> > recommending BFL to friends.

> >

> > http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113adkins

> >

> > Andy

[Guest guest]

Oops, didn't see this when I posted the last message on this thread.

I take back my *poke* Andy.

Jen B.

> Apparently, they made an error in the link and put aDkins instead

of

> aTkins since I copied and pasted it earlier. They corrected it so

> the link didn't work after I posted it. Here is their corrected

link!

>

> http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113atkins

>

> Andy

[Guest guest]

Hey! Take that back! It wasn't my fault! This a student produced

newspaper and is famous for misquoting people sometimes so it doesn't

surprise me that they messed up the link.

Andy

> > > Reading articles like this makes me even more comfortable

> > > recommending BFL to friends.

> > >

> > > http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113adkins

> > >

> > > Andy

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the un *poke*

Andy

> > Apparently, they made an error in the link and put aDkins instead

> of

> > aTkins since I copied and pasted it earlier. They corrected it

so

> > the link didn't work after I posted it. Here is their corrected

> link!

> >

> > http://digmo.com:8080/digmo.nsf/slugs/1113atkins

> >

> > Andy

[Guest guest]

Hehe, I didn't post it fast enough though, did I?

Jen B.

> > Oops, didn't see this when I posted the last message on this

> thread.

> > I take back my *poke* Andy.

> >

> > Jen B.