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CNN Live At Daybreak
Diet Doctor Robert Atkins Dies
Aired April 18, 2003 - 05:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Funeral plans are being made for controversial diet doctor Robert Atkins. He died yesterday of complications from a head injury he suffered -- he suffered after falling on an icy sidewalk.
CNN's Jason Carroll reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He revolutionized the diet world with his theory you could lose weight by eating fat. His followers thought Dr. Robert Atkins was a pioneer. His critics accused him of selling a dangerous idea, but Atkins was never one to listen to calorie counters.
DR. ROBERT ATKINS, CARDIOLOGIST: See that I think is a big mistake is to tell people to restrict calories. Now they lose the weight, they feel fine, but then they get to their goal weight and they still got 60 more years to live. And are they going to go hungry for all 60 years?
CARROLL: Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist and a businessman selling supplements and foods on his Web site and at his center for complimentary medicine. He wrote several best selling diet books over the past 30 years. His first, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," would be the prototype for several more to follow, all with the same philosophy, a diet high in fat and protein, low in carbohydrates is a sure way to lose weight.
ATKINS: So it's not that it needs to be low calorie. As long as you cut out the carbohydrate, the weight loss is automatic.
CARROLL: Atkins' philosophy of loading up on meat and cheese instead of breads, pastas and even fruits and vegetables went against the nutritional grain among mainstream dieticians. The American Dietetic Association among Atkins' critics over the years.
KATHLEEN ZELMAN, AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION: The weight loss comes primarily from water. At least in those first 14 days, it's primarily a water loss. But then you do shift into mobilizing fat that's in your storage, but you also burn up protein and body protein can be in the form of muscle, your heart muscle.
CARROLL: There have been studies that support and debunk Atkins' theories. In any case, millions followed his advice. The pied piper of the high fat, low carb way of life became a celebrity. His 1992 book, "Dr. Atkins' The New Diet Revolution," became one of the top 50 best selling books of all time. Dr. Atkins was 72 years old, but even at that age, he was still seeing patients, still trying to teach his way of trying to stay thin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Robert Atkins was 72 years old.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 18, 2003 - 05:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Funeral plans are being made for controversial diet doctor Robert Atkins. He died yesterday of complications from a head injury he suffered -- he suffered after falling on an icy sidewalk.
CNN's Jason Carroll reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He revolutionized the diet world with his theory you could lose weight by eating fat. His followers thought Dr. Robert Atkins was a pioneer. His critics accused him of selling a dangerous idea, but Atkins was never one to listen to calorie counters.
DR. ROBERT ATKINS, CARDIOLOGIST: See that I think is a big mistake is to tell people to restrict calories. Now they lose the weight, they feel fine, but then they get to their goal weight and they still got 60 more years to live. And are they going to go hungry for all 60 years?
CARROLL: Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist and a businessman selling supplements and foods on his Web site and at his center for complimentary medicine. He wrote several best selling diet books over the past 30 years. His first, "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution," would be the prototype for several more to follow, all with the same philosophy, a diet high in fat and protein, low in carbohydrates is a sure way to lose weight.
ATKINS: So it's not that it needs to be low calorie. As long as you cut out the carbohydrate, the weight loss is automatic.
CARROLL: Atkins' philosophy of loading up on meat and cheese instead of breads, pastas and even fruits and vegetables went against the nutritional grain among mainstream dieticians. The American Dietetic Association among Atkins' critics over the years.
KATHLEEN ZELMAN, AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION: The weight loss comes primarily from water. At least in those first 14 days, it's primarily a water loss. But then you do shift into mobilizing fat that's in your storage, but you also burn up protein and body protein can be in the form of muscle, your heart muscle.
CARROLL: There have been studies that support and debunk Atkins' theories. In any case, millions followed his advice. The pied piper of the high fat, low carb way of life became a celebrity. His 1992 book, "Dr. Atkins' The New Diet Revolution," became one of the top 50 best selling books of all time. Dr. Atkins was 72 years old, but even at that age, he was still seeing patients, still trying to teach his way of trying to stay thin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Robert Atkins was 72 years old.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
