Atkins diet under fire

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It's one of the most popular weight loss diets in Australia but a leaked coroner's report shows the Atkins diet's inventor died obese with high blood pressure. Are millions of Aussies on the wrong diet?

The Atkins diet began humbly enough in 1972. New York GP Dr Robert Atkins published a book about an unorthodox diet that involved eating fatty foods.

After 25 years and 25 million copies sold, the Atkins Diet remains controversial but it's still on the bestseller list.

There are 50 million Atkins devotees in the US and another million in Australia.

If you are among the 33 per cent of Australians who are on a diet, the Atkins diet may be your weapon of mass reduction.

John Ribbet lost 56kg in just over one year on the Atkins diet.

"I can see a different person, or a smaller person," Mr Ribbet said, looking in the mirror.

"All thanks to the Atkins diet, I've done nothing else but for the last 14 months other than Atkins, it's been a big part of my life."

The Atkins diet is a steak lover's dream.

Dieters are told they can eat as much fat as they want to get thin, ditching carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes.

It sounds too good to be true and now the Victorian government agrees.

It has begun warning Australians away from the Atkins diet, embarking on a rigorous campaign over fears that Atkins followers are risking heart disease, depression and even cancer.

Victorian health minister Bronwyn Pike says too many people are unaware of the risks of fad diets such as Atkins.

"As a health minister I feel it's my responsibility to warn people that these are not the magic cure to losing weight," Ms Pike said.

"We have a precedent in terms of health warnings for smoking and other things.

"I think this is these are the new addictions, becoming addicted to fad dieting can cause you a lot of trouble."

Dietician Karen Inge applauds Victoria's move and wants the states to follow.

"I think the Atkins diet is potentially dangerous," Ms Inge said. "There's no doubt about that."

"And also missing out on important foods like wholegrains, starch and vegetables can only have long term implications.

"We need those foods, they provide us with energy, provide us with antioxidants and are significant sources of dietary fibre."

The latest controversy concerns Dr Atkins himself. He died one year ago but a leaked coroner's report found Dr Atkins - who followed his own diet - was clinically obese.

According to the coroner's report, Dr Atkins also had heart disease and high blood pressure. Now the critics are attacking his work and blaming his diet for his demise.

His widow Veronica Atkins, who now runs the multi-million dollar Atkins empire, staunchly defends her husband's work.

"I'm sick and tired of my husband being always maligned and his life's work being trivialized," Mrs Atkins said. "These things are lies, they're like the Taliban."

"Oh, I mean, I shouldn't insult vegetarians but they're like the Taliban these people, they're nasty."

Mr Ribbet insists the Atkins diet has made him feel just fine.

"How confusing is it when they keep telling us it's unhealthy when I feel totally healthy?" he asked.

But Ms Pike says while she understands that people want to look good, fit and active, they should think twice about the Atkins diet.