Panda said:
Yes, I heard it's not a good diet to stay on. The poor doc lived to be in his late 80's to early 90's and died from a fall. He was in good health.
According to news reports at the time of his death the "poor doc" (a multimillionaire), lived to 72. He died as the result of head injuries due to a fall (also widely reported), but was also not in good health.
His publicly reported cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and hypertension prior to his death cause a lot of controversy, largely due to the fact that his medical records were obtained and released illegally.
Anti-Atkins groups seized on his heart problems to further discredit his already controversial diet, which had waned in popularity. According to statements by him after his heart attack, and later, by his widow, his heart problems were not diet related. It seems doubtful the public will ever know the truth for sure.
Low carb diets have been blasted by severe criticisms from organizations such as the AMA, the ADA the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. The Cancer Society continues to recommend a healthy dose of fresh fruits and vegetables and restricting saturated fats.
Apparently sustained weight loss and healthy weight management is, contrary to Atkins' assertions, still related to the amount of caloric intake. Gorging on anything, it seems, still makes you fat.