Robert Atkins (physician)

Template:Short description Template:Other people Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Robert Coleman Atkins (October 17, 1930Template:Snd April 17, 2003) was an American physician and cardiologist, best known for the Atkins Diet, which requires close control of carbohydrate consumption and emphasizes protein and fat as the primary sources of dietary calories in addition to a controlled number of carbohydrates from vegetables.

The commercial success of Atkins' diet plan led Time to name the doctor a person of the year in 2002.<ref name=time>Template:Cite web</ref> The Atkins diet has been described as "one of the most popular fad diets in the United States".<ref name=gale>Longe, Jacqueline L. (2008). The Gale Encyclopedia of Diets: A Guide to Health and Nutrition. The Gale Group. p. 84. Template:ISBN</ref>

Early life and education

Atkins was born in 1930 in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Eugene and Norma (Tuckerman) Atkins. His family was Jewish.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> At the age of 12, his family moved to Dayton, Ohio, where his father owned several restaurants. As a young teen, Atkins held various jobs, including a position selling shoes at the age of 14 and a later gig on a local radio show. He attended Fairview High School in Dayton and, in 1947, finished second among 8,500 seniors on a statewide general scholarship test.<ref name=NYTobit/><ref name=DDN>Template:Cite news</ref> Upon graduating from the University of Michigan in 1951, Atkins had thoughts of becoming a comedian and spent the summer as a waiter and entertainer at various resorts in the Adirondacks.<ref name=NYTobit/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

He eventually decided to pursue medicine, however, and received a medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1955. Atkins completed an internship under Dr. Emma C. Götz at Strong Hospital in Rochester, New York, and finished his residency in cardiology and internal medicine at hospitals affiliated with Columbia University.<ref name=Biography>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Atkins specialized in cardiology and complementary medicine, and went on to open a private practice on the Upper East Side of New York City in 1959. His medical practice did not go well at first, and he began to put on weight and became depressed. After doing some research, he decided to pursue a low-carbohydrate approach published by Alfred W. Pennington, based on research Pennington did during World War II at DuPont.<ref name=NYTobit/> He began applying this approach in his practice, and began writing books about low-carb diets that became known as the Atkins diet, publishing his first book in 1972 and a few years later opening a complementary medicine center.<ref name=NYTobit/><ref name=guardian/> He married his wife, Veronica, when he was 56.<ref name=guardian>Template:Cite news</ref>

Death

In 2001, Atkins's coronary arteries were 30 to 40 percent blocked, according to Patrick Fratellone, his cardiologist and employee.<ref name="Bekiempis Haylock 2019">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2002, Atkins went into cardiac arrest, leading many of his critics to point to this episode as proof of the inherent dangers in the consumption of high levels of saturated fat associated with the Atkins diet. In numerous interviews, however, Atkins stated that his cardiac arrest was not the result of poor diet, but was rather caused by a chronic infection.<ref name=times>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Subscription required</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On April 8, 2003, Atkins was admitted to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain after having slipped on ice and hit his head, but fell into a coma. He died on April 17, at age 72.<ref name="wsj-ra">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=NYTobit>Template:Cite news</ref>

After his death, his widow stated that Atkins's coronary-artery disease had progressed in the final years of his life with a new blockage, a procedure to remedy the blockage, and that he was taking heart-rhythm medication.<ref name="Bekiempis Haylock 2019" />

A report from the New York medical examiner's office leaked a year after his death said that Atkins had a history of heart attack, congestive heart failure and hypertension, and that at the time of his death he weighed Template:Convert.<ref name="wsj-ra" /> According to Stuart Trager, chairman of the Atkins Physicians Council (a group of physicians who work as consultants to the Atkins organization), this report contained incomplete medical records and Atkins did not have a history of heart attacks; instead, according to Trager, Atkins had cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease that was probably caused by a virus, not his diet. His widow refused to allow an autopsy. <ref name="deathra">Template:Cite news</ref>

Diet

The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet promoted by Atkins.<ref name=Thalmeier>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=Gud2015>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=Harper>Template:Cite journal</ref>

His success inspired others to generate low-carb diets, and many companies released low-carb diets and low-carb foods. After his death, the popularity of Atkins's diet waned, with other low-carb diets eroding its market share and questions being raised about its safety. In 2005, Atkins Nutritionals filed for bankruptcy. It was subsequently purchased by North Castle Partners in 2007 and switched its emphasis to low-carb snacks.<ref name=bankruptcy>"Atkins firm seeks financial help". BBC News. August 1, 2005.</ref> In 2010, the company was acquired by Roark Capital Group.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Selected publications

• Atkins, Robert C. Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution Bantam, 1972
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• Atkins, Robert C. Dr. Atkins' Diet Cookbook Bantam, 1974
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Further reading

• Template:Cite book
• Larry King interview
• BBC Obituary: Dr Robert Atkins April 17, 2003
• Snopes on Doctor Atkins' death