The Atkins Diet: apparent endorsements by glamorous celebrities have boosted the popularity of this high protein, low carbohydrate diet. Toni Steer looks at the evidence to establish what advice practice nurses can give to patients.(Nutrition)

KEY POINTS

* Low-carbohydrate diets can achieve greater weight loss than low fat diets but only in the short term

* Long-term weight-loss and maintenance is necessary to combat obesity

* Losing weight requires a cut in energy intake below energy needs

The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate eating plan. It advocates severe restriction of dietary carbohydrate to less than 20 grams per day in the first instance gradually increasing to around 10% of total energy intake. To achieve this, foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and other flour-containing foods are severely limited. Fruit and vegetables are also restricted. In contrast the diet allows unlimited quantities of protein and fat.

The Atkins Diet is without doubt the most well publicised of the low-carbohydrate regimens, but has much in common with many other low-carbohydrate eating plans such as The Zone Diet, the Sugar Busters Diet and the Ketogenic Diet.

DOES IT WORK?

In the short-term most people following a low-carbohydrate diet lose weight. This is primarily caused by a cut in energy intake. In the first 72 hours or so, weight loss is particularly rapid due to the loss of water, stored in the body in…