Atkins Gets Tech-Savvy to Reach More Dieters
 

By Nichola Groom LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. dieters will soon be able to count their carbs on mobile phones, the company behind the Atkins Diet said on Thursday.




Atkins, which is facing a slowdown in sales of its packaged foods and smaller numbers of consumers following low-carb diets, said early next year dieters will be able to pay for software that will help them track the carbohydrate contents of foods, as well as their own daily carb intake on mobile phones and handheld computers.



"Our aim is to make the information about how to do Atkins available to as many people as possible," said Michael Bernstein, senior vice president at Atkins Nutritionals Inc.



The company did not give any projections for how many people it hopes will end up paying for the service.



Consumers will be able to purchase the software directly through their phones and will have instant access to information on the number of carbs in certain foods, as well as their own personal weight loss statistics.



The announcement comes at a time when the number of Americans following low-carb diets is falling. In November, 3.6 percent of Americans were on low-carb diets, compared with 9.1 percent at the beginning of the year, according to research firm The NPD Group.

Atkins partnered with San Mateo, California-based mobile games company Digital Chocolate Inc. to develop the "Atkins 2Go" service for mobile phones.

Digital Chocolate President Mark Jacobstein said he was not concerned about evidence showing a decline in consumer interest in low-carb diets and said he thinks all major cell phone carriers will be interested in the product



"Programs that work sustain themselves," Jacobstein said. "We signed a multi-year deal with Atkins because we have confidence in that."



Neither Atkins nor Digital Chocolate would disclose terms of the deal and both said the service had not been priced yet. But they said it would be "within reach for everyday consumers."



Atkins has also partnered with San Francisco-based NoviiMedia to develop software for Palm handheld computers that will be available early next year, Bernstein said. That also has yet to be priced.



The new products follow the launch of an Atkins DVD the company is marketing this holiday season as it expands beyond the traditional diet book business.



"All forms of media are going to be important to different kinds of people," Bernstein said.



Atkins is not the only diet company jumping on the technology bandwagon. Rival Weight Watchers International Inc. (NYSE:WTW - news) earlier this week launched its own service for Palm handheld computers, called "Weight Watchers On the Go," which dieters can use in conjunction with the company's Web site.

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