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Popular
low-carbohydrate diets are leading Americans to poor
health and spawning a rip-off
industry of "carb-friendly" products,
health experts and consumer advocates said on Tuesday. They
announced a new group, called the Partnership for Essential
Nutrition, to help educate Americans about the need for
healthy carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits, beans
and whole grains.
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WASHINGTON (Reuters), Tue Jun 22, 2004
"When unproven science becomes a sales pitch, some people
get rich and the rest of us get ripped off," Jeffrey Prince
of the American Institute for Cancer Research told a news conference.
"Eating
vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, which are all predominantly
carbohydrate, is linked to a reduced risk of cancer, heart
disease, stroke, diabetes and a range of other chronic diseases."
Prince
said low-carb diets that advocate piling on the animal protein
and fat are "increasing the risk of developing cancer, heart
disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes and other chronic diseases."
The
new group includes such organizations as the Alliance for Aging
Research, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, the
AICR and the American Obesity Association.
Its Web site at
http://www.essentialnutrition.org/ is especially critical of
programs, such as the Atkins diet, that advocate throwing the
body into a condition called ketosis. During this phase the
body sheds water as it tries to get rid of excess protein and
fat-breakdown products.
"Losing weight on these extreme low-carb
diets can lead to such serious health problems as kidney stress,
liver disorders and gout," the group advises.
ATKINS DENIAL
Dr. Stuart Trager, Medical Director for Atkins Nutritionals,
Inc., said the Atkins diet is healthy.
"In fact, the Atkins
Nutritional Approach includes spinach, eggplant, broccoli,
asparagus and leafy greens, in addition to other high-fiber
vegetables and fruits," Trager said in a statement. "Even during
induction, Atkins requires five servings of vegetables and/or
fruits a day."
The new group published a survey of 1,017 adults,
done by Opinion Research Corporation, that showed 19 percent
of dieters are trying to cut carbs.
The survey found that 47
percent them believed that low-carb diets can help them lose
weight without cutting calories.
"They are confused. They lack
an understanding of the basic science," Barbara Moore, president
of Shape Up America, told the news conference.
She said a "trickle-down effect" meant other Americans were now eating fewer
fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.
The U.S. government,
American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute
and American Diabetes Association all recommend getting at least five servings
a day of fruits and vegetables. They also recommend eating plenty of whole grains.
The National Consumers League said it found dieters were spending an average
of $85 a month on so-called low-carbohydrate products, although the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration does not evaluate or regulate low-carb claims.
"Consumers
are paying a premium price for a carb-friendly lifestyle," said Alison Rein of
the National Consumers League. She called for the FDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture
and other agencies to issue immediate guidelines on such claims.
Studies show
that a low-carbohydrate approach can cause people to lose weight more quickly
than a low-fat diet for the first six months, but the low-fat approach catches
up after a year.
© Copyright
Reuters 2004
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