Maker of Atkins diets files for bankruptcy

[baggio248]

Finally this is done. I've hated this since day one.



Slumping popularity of low-carb diet, plus increased competition, leads company founded by late diet doctor to seek Chapter 11 protection.

By MSN Money staff and news services

The Atkins diet has fallen on lean times.

The company started by the late nutrition guru Dr. Robert C. Atkins to promote a low-carb lifestyle has filed for bankruptcy court protection, a further sign of the waning popularity of the diet.

A hearing on the prearranged, Chapter 11 filing by Atkins Nutritionals Inc. was scheduled for Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, spokesman Richard Rothstein said Sunday.

The company, which sells Atkins-brand nutrition bars, shakes and candy as well as offering low-carb diet information, has been hurt by waning popularity of its namesake approach, which focuses on eliminating carbohydrates such as bread and pasta to shed weight.

One of the most popular diets ever
The diet became one of the most popular in U.S. history, spawning a virtual cottage industry of low-carb regimens, and was so popular from 2002 through early 2004 that it was blamed for the bankruptcies of several pasta and bakery companies.

But it also drew criticism from experts for its focus on fatty foods and low fruit and vegetable consumption. The death of company founder Robert Atkins after a fall in April 2003 led to a spate of negative publicity when the public learned that he had been overweight.

In its heyday, the company listed Goldman Sachs among its backers and analysts predicted an initial public offering, according to Reuters. Its trademark red "A" logo appeared on a range of packaged foods and was featured in advertising for Subway sandwich stores.

But Atkins Nutritionals said demand slumped beginning in the second half of 2004 and rival products flooded the marketplace, Reuters said, prompting the company to restructure and replace its management team.

[InfiniteNothing]

The Atkins diet has fallen on lean times.
:hihi:

[Grimm]

Dr. Atkins died at age 72 in relatively good heath. He did have some hereditary illnesses, but diet isn't going to have too much of an effect on that. His weight was a bit over optimum, but that was due to his hereditary illness and it was exagerated by the media.

[InfiniteNothing]

Dr. Atkins died at age 72 in relatively good heath. He did have some hereditary illnesses, but diet isn't going to have too much of an effect on that. His weight was a bit over optimum, but that was due to his hereditary illness and it was exagerated by the media.

Uhm..... okay

[Jihforce]

Something about being a diet advocate and having his weight be "a bit over optimum" bothers me. Can you imagine how many sandwiches subway would sell if Jared was still his old self?

[Grimm]

Something about being a diet advocate and having his weight be "a bit over optimum" bothers me. Can you imagine how many sandwiches subway would sell if Jared was still his old self?
He wasn't a fitness guru. He was a medical doctor. He identified some basic flaws in the way people saw diet. He provided an alternate, and when there were problems to the alternate he adjusted it to compensate. Some doctors smoke, even when they know it's bad for them.

Here's a way to look at it, because of Atkins they changed the food pyramid.

[MikeD]

He wasn't a fitness guru. He was a medical doctor. He identified some basic flaws in the way people saw diet. He provided an alternate, and when there were problems to the alternate he adjusted it to compensate. Some doctors smoke, even when they know it's bad for them.

Here's a way to look at it, because of Atkins they changed the food pyramid.

:stupid:

Not saying that low-carb is the best model to choose in terms of one's diet, but you can certainly incorporate certain facets of it into a healthy regimen. And there should be little doubt that Atkins was the driving force behind many Americans being educated about it.

While a combiniation of diet and exercise is certainly the superior choice to make, Atkins showed many that reducing carbs will be beneficial to their health and weight-loss goals. Was his plan a sham? In its entirety, yes; it's not healthy to eat high levels of high fat food. But he did raise awareness about the effects that carbs have on your diet, and that's a good thing.

[InfiniteNothing]

But even that's a sham. Carbs are not your enemy... simple carbs are your enemy... complex carbs are your friends.

[Grimm]

Was his plan a sham? In its entirety, yes; it's not healthy to eat high levels of high fat food. But he did raise awareness about the effects that carbs have on your diet, and that's a good thing.
I will admit his early theories produced a diet that wasn't very healthy. But he did constantly improve the diet untill it was a diet that focused on avoiding carbs instead of the original "fat is OK".
I do that "sham" is a poor choice of words. I don't think his intent was to deceive. He knew that low fat diets weren't working because fat wasn't the problem with a lot of diets in the US.
He was heavily persicuted for deviating from the "fat bad, carbs good" dogma. I think he was most interested in bringing down the people who besmirched his name in supporting that dogma.

I think it's a good thing that two major research papers came out a few days before his death supporting his views on nutrition, that carbs were the main culptits to poor diet, not fats.

[ialsohaveadream]

I think it's a good thing that two major research papers came out a few days before his death supporting his views on nutrition, that carbs were the main culptits to poor diet, not fats.
Either way, the low (saturated) fat diet is still healthier for you in the long run. And in my opinion, your level of exercise has a lot greater impact on your weight and health than diet.

[Grimm]

Either way, the low (saturated) fat diet is still healthier for you in the long run. And in my opinion, your level of exercise has a lot greater impact on your weight and health than diet.
True, to a point. Good diet is not worth much if exercise is not a part of your routine. Just so long as people know that non-saturated fats aren't bad for you and that a reasonable amount of fat is fine so long as you are getting a lot of vegitables.

[cheapchinese]

too bad...
their vision was pretty good,
crispy cream is still hurting from this diet..